Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Client: Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc.

Location: Baltimore, MD

Services: Mechanical, electrical and traffic engineering, structural assessment surveys; and landscape architecture

Since its opening in April 1992, Oriole Park at Camden Yards has won national acclaim and the affection of loyal baseball fans everywhere. The $105 million, state-of-the-art facility seats 47,000 in an open-air stadium, designed with the nostalgia and grandeur of the classic ballparks built in the early 1900s. Some fans enjoy the luxury of 75 enclosed, private skyboxes, and nearly 400 seats are accessible to the handicapped. The Camden Yards Complex also features the 430,000-square-foot, historic B&O Warehouse Building, which was renovated to house the Orioles’ management offices, ticket outlets, private club, banquet facilities, restaurants, and retail shops.

Under the direction of the Maryland Stadium Authority, the architectural firm of Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK), Inc., commissioned KCI Technologies to design mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems for the stadium, warehouse building, and other support facilities. HOK asked KCI to complete the design phase within seven months.

Mechanical and Plumbing System— A central heating and cooling plant serves the stadium complex and features high-pressure, steam-to-hot-water heating, and an 1,800-ton air conditioning system, with two interfaced 900-ton centrifugal chillers. Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) and plumbing systems serve the Orioles’ offices, skyboxes, restaurants, kitchens, concession areas, and 28 restrooms. KCI also provided design services for a 19,000-GPM stormwater pumping station; a state-of-the-art field irrigation and drainage system; a 2,500-GPM fire protection system; and environmental and life safety systems.

Electrical System—To meet the park’s electrical requirements, engineers incorporated seven 2,000- to 2,500-KVA substations and an emergency power distribution system, with two generators providing 750 KW of emergency power. Other systems include focused-beam field lighting; special power, lighting, and ventilation systems for the eight-story scoreboard; raceway and cable tray for a 1,000-speaker sound system; and lighting for parking areas and access roads.

Masonry Restoration, Warehouse Building—KCI’s material specialists performed a structural assessment survey of the turn-of-the-century warehouse building, to evaluate the condition of the masonry walls and prepared specifications for the exterior masonry restoration.

KCI’s application of innovative and environmentally responsible solutions to design and construction administrative challenges enabled the stadium to be completed on time and within budget.

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