Breese Stevens Field Improvements
Last Updated: 07/21/2021
Overview
Breese Stevens Field was designated a City Landmark in 1995 and subsequently listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2015. Upon securing the historic designations, the City of Madison Parks Division set out to prioritize restoration and revitalization of the stadium. This facility occupies a prominent urban site in a neighborhood now undergoing rapid transformation. For the past several years, as part of a focused planning process, Parks staff’s efforts have been successful in completing significant code improvements and infrastructure upgrades to ensure the on-going viability of this cultural asset. The City entered into a partnership with Big Top Events to further leverage the site’s great potential and this has been very productive. Breese Stevens Field is returning as destination venue for seasonal sports events and now community festivals and open-air concerts. Current improvements to the facility are organized into three phases: Phase One- Facility Report, Phase Two - Concession/Restroom Building Addition and Facade Restoration, and Phase Three- Spectator, Hospitality and Event Set-Up Improvements. Details on each phase of work are provided below.
Breese Stevens Field Improvements - Phase Three
The City of Madison Parks Division completed the Phase Three facility improvements at Breese Stevens Field in 2019. The improvements consist of hospitality, seating and field improvements that continue the on-going revitalization of the historic venue.
The Phase Three improvements were approved by the City of Madison Urban Design Commission on Wednesday, December 5th, 2018.
In addition to the Urban Design Commission, the proposed improvements were reviewed by the City of Madison Landmarks Commission. An informational presentation was given to the commission on October 15, 2018. On Monday, November 19, 2018, the Landmarks Commission granted a Certificate of Appropriateness for the Phase Three Improvements.
Below are links to the submitted Landmarks Commission presentation materials:
The proposed Phase Three improvements also received approve from the State Historic Preservation Office.
Parks staff and Big Top Events also held an neighborhood meeting to discuss the Phase Three improvements on November 1, 2018 at the Festival Foods Community Room.
Please contact project manager Mike Sturm at (608) 267-4921 or msturm@cityofmadison.com if you have questions on the recently completed improvements.
Breese Stevens Field Improvements - Phase Two
Construction of the new concession and restroom building is complete!
Based on an in-depth look at operations and existing facility conditions in the 2017 Facility Report, a permanent concession kitchen and accessible restrooms were identified as priority improvements.The proposed concession/restroom addition will be approximately 3,780 sf and located west of the athletic field, adjacent to the older 1925 portion of the stadium. The project includes masonry restoration of the stadium’s exterior and the addition of rain gutters to the historic roof canopy. The proposed addition received approval from the State of Wisconsin Historical Society, the City of Madison Landmarks Commission and the Urban Design Commission.
Plans of Concession/Restroom Addition
Perspective of Concession/Restroom Addition
Breese Stevens Field Improvements - Phase One
In 2016, the Parks Division hired a consultant team led by Isthmus Architecture to prepare a facility report for Breese Stevens Field. The report identified necessary maintenance improvements to the historic venue for the next 15 years. Previous studies reviewed specific aspects of the stadium but a comprehensive look at the overall facility was needed. In addition to long‐term maintenance items, recommendations on potential operational improvements were identified with the assistance of the current operator, Big Top Events. The report was completed in 2017 and continues to inform improvements at the historic venue.