Clayco, the St. Louis Cardinals' select construction manager, announces the interior tenant finish for the three-story, 30,000-square-foot Cardinals Nation Restaurant and Hall of Fame Museum has been completed. The restaurant and museum is part of the Cardinals' recently-opened Ballpark Village. The space was designed to incorporate the ballpark atmosphere and give patrons the ultimate fan experience.
"We were honored to once again work with the Cardinals organization to create something outstanding for their fans," says Tom Sieckhaus, executive vice president at Clayco. "We understand how important the legacy of this team is so we created a design to reflect that throughout the entire space."
The two-story restaurant boasts three patios, two bars, and multimedia features for optimal sports viewing. After years of anticipation, the Cardinals archives were re-opened and the organization's rich history can now be seen in an energetic, interactive space on the second floor. This 8,000-square-foot museum is a must-see for baseball enthusiasts everywhere. Fans can also cheer on the Cardinals from a 300-seat roof top deck overlooking Busch Stadium.
Of particular interest is the Hall of Fame Museum, which features a special lighting fixture. The fixture has two corresponding 54-foot-long light bars with a lightweight aluminum core bent to a curvature to mimic the seams of a baseball. The seams are lighted by 108 (54 on each) 15-watt LED light bars. Like the seam curvature, the "stitch lights" are aligned at a compounded angle to match those of a real baseball.
The stitch lights are programmed to be red in color however the light bars produced by Acclaim Lighting can be programmed to any hue. One DMX controller allows the stitches to accentuate miscellaneous celebrations, i.e. green for St. Patrick's Day, pink for the Susan G. Koman Race, and red and green for the December holidays.
The stairwell has wood features in the shape of home plate, and even the bathrooms are given the ballpark touch with bats mounted around the mirrors, branded with Cardinals Nation logos. To prepare for the museum's artifacts, Clayco's team of builders paid special attention to protecting the integrity of the room. With surgical room-like care, the team ensured the environment was clean and secure in order to properly house the expansive collection.
"It wasn't enough to create a functional space for the museum; we wanted it to be truly memorable," Sieckhaus says. "Through our previous work with the organization, I think our team was able to channel all of that experience and produce something that would not only pay proper homage to the team, but would also delight baseball fans of all ages from around the country."
Clayco's contribution to Ballpark Village is another shining example of the relationship the firm has enjoyed with the Cardinals over the years. Clayco is honored to serve as the Cardinals' select construction manager for projects including Busch Stadium and The Cardinals Champion Hall.
