An upgraded locker room, expanded weight room, and updated dining room with an outdoor patio greeted the Chicago Bears when they arrived at Halas Hall for practice this month. The improvements are part of a major expansion and renovation of the Bears’ headquarters in Lake Forest, Ill., completed by Mortenson Construction in less than seven months, the time between National Football League seasons.
“Despite the very tight turnaround, Mortenson has done a first-class job from start to finish,” says John Bostrom, vice president of business administration for the Chicago Bears. “They put in long hours, successfully working around our staff and coaches who continued to use the facility during construction, and completed all of the improvements in time for the team to take full advantage of them this season.”
The renovation has enhanced both player and business facilities, including the addition of a world-class broadcasting center that has already enabled the Bears to launch a new weekly television program. “With the expansion and upgrades, the Bears organization has strengthened its competitiveness on and off the field with state-of-the-art resources for players, coaches and staff,” says Greg Werner, vice president and head of the Chicago office of Mortenson Construction.
Mortenson expanded Halas Hall by more than 43,000 square feet to a total of 143,350 square feet. As part of the renovation, it enlarged the weight room and training room while installing new lighting, lockers, and carpeting in the locker room. Mortenson added offices and conference rooms with upgraded technology as well as a viewing suite overlooking the team’s practice fields.
A new event center includes a 4,000-square foot broadcast studio and conference center, new press conference room and additional work space for media. At the event center, the Bears are putting the finishing touches on a special interactive space featuring team information and memorabilia, including some never-before-featured pieces of Bears history such as the 1963 NFL championship trophy.
Mortenson drew on extensive experience, having built more than 100 sports and event centers totaling more than $4 billion, for the Halas Hall project.
About Mortenson Construction
Founded in 1954, Mortenson Construction is a U.S.-based, privately held construction company. As one of the nation's top builders, Mortenson provides a complete range of services, including planning, program management, preconstruction, general contracting, construction management, design-build, and development. With a local office in Chicago, Mortenson has additional offices in Minneapolis, Denver, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Seattle and international operations in Canada and China.
Related Stories
| Feb 22, 2013
Defense department report: Green design saves taxpayers money
An independent report on energy efficiency and sustainability standards used by the Pentagon for military construction affirms the value of LEED-certified high performing buildings to America’s military and U.S. taxpayers.
| Feb 22, 2013
Detroit project would bring 'fairytale forest' to riverfront
A proposal by atelierWHY to create a heavily wooded park on the downtown riverfront has taken first place in the juried Detroit By Design competition.
| Feb 22, 2013
Zaha Hadid to help plan new London-area airport hub
The Mayor of London has appointed Zaha Hadid Architects to help create a major new airport in southeastern England.
| Feb 21, 2013
AIA College of Fellows awards 2013 Latrobe Prize for 'The City of 7 Billion'
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows has awarded the 2013 Latrobe Prize of $100,000 for the proposal, “The City of 7 Billion.”
| Feb 21, 2013
BD+C's 2011 White Paper: Zero and Net-Zero Energy Buildings + Homes
We submit our eighth White Paper on Sustainability in the hope that it will inspire architects, engineers, contractors, building owners, developers, building product manufacturers, environmentalists, policymakers, government officials, corporate executives, officeholders, and the public to foster the development of net-zero energy buildings and homes.
| Feb 21, 2013
BD+C's 2008 White Paper: Green Buildings + Climate Change
In this White Paper, we provide concrete ways in which AEC professionals can have a positive role in addressing climate change.
| Feb 21, 2013
Holl videos discuss design features of Chengdu ' Porosity Block' project
Architect Steven Holl has released two short films describing the development of Sliced Porosity Block in Chengdu, China.
| Feb 21, 2013
Construction team chosen for world's tallest building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Construction team chosen for world's tallest building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
| Feb 21, 2013
Stephen C. Wright joins Leo A Daly as Managing Principal in D.C.
International architecture, planning, engineering, interior design and program management firm LEO A DALY welcomes Stephen C. Wright, AIA, as the new managing principal of the Washington, D.C., office. Wright will oversee the D.C. team in executing federal, local government, private and non-profit projects and pursuing new business opportunities in markets including aviation, corporate and commercial, higher education, hospitality and institutional facilities.