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Baker FieldBaker Field, Columbia University in New York City In Brief Baker Field, located at the northern tip of Manhattan at 218th Street and Broadway, is home to several Columbia Athletics facilities, including Wien Stadium, Columbia Soccer Stadium, Columbia Softball Complex, Andy Coakley Field (baseball), The Dick Savitt Tennis Center, The Gould-Remmer and 1929 Boathouses, and the Chrystie Field House. History The tract of land on which the Baker Field Complex stands was purchased for the University on December 30, 1921 by financier George F. Baker. Then a $700,000 gift, the 26-acre area was dedicated in April,1922 and was coronated with spring football practice that same year. In the fall, Columbias football team continued to practice at Baker Field, but played its games at South Field on the Morningside Heights Campus. The first stadium at Baker Field opened in the fall of 1923 with 15,000 seats in temporary stands. Five years later, the University built the 32,000 wooden-seat stadium that served Columbia fans for 55 years, until the spring of 1983. The first game at Baker Field took place on September 29, 1923, with Columbia defeating Ursinus, 13-0. The opening game in the official stadium was played on Sept. 29, 1928 as Columbia defeated Vermont, 20-0. Wien Stadium was opened on Sept. 22, 1984 as the Lions fell to Harvard, 35-21. Columbia won its first game in the Stadium on Oct.8, 1988 when it defeated Princeton, 16-13. Wien Stadium is now home to the Lions' football, field hockey, lacrosse and track & field teams. The track features an eight-lane Rekortan track. Lawrence A. Wein Stadium Opened in 1984, Lawrence A. Wien Stadium is now in its third decade as the official Lions' Den. A 17,000-seat facility, it is home to Columbia's football, field hockey, lacrosse, and track and field teams. Following the installation of Astro Turf XL in 1995, Wien Stadium truly became a state-of-the-art facility. The Astro Turf XL allows the field to be used by varsity and club teams, as well as providing a consistent practice surface for the teams in all types of weather. Unlike conventional Astro Turf, the field surface is cushioned, not rigid. The eight-inch crushed stone base contains vertical drains and is covered by a layer of porous material. Two lifts of elastic layers are topped by the Astro Turf. In addition to providing a modern facility for Columbia's athletes, Wien Stadium acts as a modern athletics arena in a traditional setting which provides for the needs of fans, alumni, and the media. The Columbia press box, located on the east side of the field,stands at the top of a three-level structure that also houses the Maniatty-Remmer Lounge, home to numerous alumni gatherings. The home stands, below the press and lounge areas, hold 10,500 spectators in armchair, contour and bench seats. In 1986 the visitors' stands were dedicated. The 6,500-seat addition located along the west side of the stadium broughtits capacity to the current 17,000. Beyond the visitors' stands is a panoramic view of Spuyten Duyvil, the confluence of the Harlem and Hudson rivers, and the New Jersey Palisades. The view is one reason that Wien Stadium was featured in Sports Illustrated as one of the most beautiful places in the country towatch a football game. In 1987 a 400-meter, all-weather, eight-lane track was added to Wien Stadium, making it one of the finest track & field facilities in the area. Since its installation, it has been the site for the New York Track & Field Games, the Heptagonal Championships and the Metropolitan Championships. In 2000, a video scoreboard was installed at the north end of the stadium. The scoreboard ranks as one of the finest in the NCAA. The Boathouses In the summer of 2001, Columbia completed construction of the 1929 Boathouse, which was built through the generous contributions of Columbia Crew supporters. The facility, the newest in the Ivy League, is a three-bay shell house, complete with an upper level that includes an erg and weight room, as well as a beautiful meeting area overlooking the water. The house is now the centerpiece of a crew village in a park-like setting, as the first stage of Columbias ambitious reconstruction of its rowing facilities. The shell-house currently is being utilized and a new boat shop is expected to be completed in the near future. The 1929 Boathouse stands immediately next to the Gould-Remmer Boathouse, which was originally constructed in 1895 as the Gould Boathouse at 116th Street on the Hudson River. It was relocated to its current site, and, in 1989, was renamed to honor of the late Eugene H. Remmer 40C, 41E, a varsity oarsman and longtime supporter of Columbia athletics. The buildings sit at one of the most picturesque locations in New York City. They are located aside beautiful Inwood Hill Park and the house overlooks the confluence of the Harlem and Hudson Rivers and the famed Spuyten Duyvil. About The Dick Savitt Tennis Center Columbia University's Dick Savitt Tennis Center hosts the home courts for the men's and women's varsity teams. The center is also available for use by Columbia University alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and anyone working in one of the hospitals affiliated with Columbia. Unaffiliated players may be sponsored by one of the members. The center has six cushioned hard courts, all of which are covered by a state-of-the-art air dome. Each court has a blue surface that makes the tennis ball easy to see, and the lighting has been ranked among the best in the world by some tennis professionals. The Tennis Center is located in a beautifully landscaped area of Baker Field (218th Street, west of Broadway) which overlooks the Hudson and Harlem rivers. Parking is available on premises, and the Tennis Center is easily accessible by subway from the 215th Street stop of the No. 1 train. It is a 5- to 10-minute walk from the subway station to the Center. Source: http://gocolumbialions.collegesports.com/facilities/colm-baker.html
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