Memorial Stadium Update: Turf Goes Down!

Just a quick hitter with some updates to the ongoing construction at Memorial Stadium.

It looks like the turf has been laid down about a week ahead of schedule, and we're midway through the 10-day process that should see all the yard markers and logos thrown on as well.

Coach Tedford tweeted a picture of its progress (using Instagram!) and I must say, I'm a little misty eyed right now.

I'm very much digging the new, darker colored endzones. After the jump, see more photos and videos.

Stefan McClure also posted a picture from his Instagram account, this one might better encapsulate just how gorgeous a setting Memorial Stadium will be this fall.

UC Berkeley Campus Life has a nice video that even features the sped up process of the turf being laid. And yes, that is the actual speed at which the construction crew works. Kudos.

The article reminds us just how ridiculously awesome this stadium is going to be. It states:

This past spring, the field was dug up and excavated an additional four feet. The lowering of the field was done to improve sightlines for fans in the lower seating areas and to make room for installation of an extensive infrastructure for game operations — including a network of water pipes (for drinking water and turf irrigation), broadcast cable, coaching and replay communications and storm-drain pipes.

The lowering of the field will not only improve sightlines, but hopefully also increase the feeling that the fans will really be hovering over the field. Not quite Autzen Stadium esque, but hopefully a similar feeling of being elevated over the field.

And the network of water pipes is quite ridiculous. Bob Milano Jr., UC Berkeley’s assistant athletic director for capital planning and management explains, "large overhead sprinkers on the perimeter of the field, fed by the irrigation system underground, will provide short-term, evaporative cooling to keep the turf cool on hot days and during heavy training sessions; it will also serve to help routinely clean the turf." Cool.

Here are some more videos from Cal Athletics of the crew laying down turf. My favorite part are the chants of "Whooooo!" in the background.