This is how the works are progressing in the Monumental: why the seats will be gray and where the new tunnel and the giant screen will be

River Plate he needed to modernize and expand his house. In August 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the leadership made an important decision, since it found the right scenario to start a project that had been around the heads of the members of the Board of Directors for 6 years and that had always was promoted by Marcelo Gallardo: completely renovate the playing field of the Monumental. Then the driving advanced with the other ambitious objective: to expand the capacity of the Antonio Vespucio Liberti.

This Thursday Infobae was invited to visit the Monumental to see in great detail how the works are progressing on the lower ring of the stadium (where the athletics track was located). The Núñez institution trusts that by the beginning of 2023 it will have three of the four new stands available. The inauguration of 30 boxes in the Centenario media and a 700-square-meter restaurant are also awaited. The evolution of the remodeling is at “40%”, as highlighted by President Jorge Brito.

There are three details that stand out in the works. The new brand manual incorporates gray in various shades as a complementary color to the white, red and black that represent River Plate. In this way, it follows the trend of other great stages, such as Tottenham or the Santiago Bernabéu.

Beyond the fact that gray seeks to convey modernity and spaciousness, it also represents savings in the medium and long term. Is that red, according to studies carried out by the company in charge of the works, turns pink in just five years. Gray, on the other hand, lasts much longer (approximately triple).

On this point, Jorge Brito elaborated: “We are aware and we listen to the fans, but there are technical issues. The new stadiums go to dark colors for durability and gray has to do with River as well. The red turns pink in a period of approximately five years, while the white is not recommended as it is not a covered stadium”.

Another important detail: the single entrance tunnel from the campuses to the field of play will be located between the two substitute benches. And the giant screen will move to the opposite head. However, the design incorporates two extra wide panoramic screens.

The president also valued the importance of the return of the recitals to the Antonio Vespucio Liberti to finance this work: “We have income of more than 6 million dollars for 14 recitals that also contribute to the financing of the work.”

It is worth remembering that in the first months of the pandemic, the leaders, taking advantage of the fact that at that time the presence of the public in the stadiums was not allowed, gave way to the renovation of the playing field. The Irish company SIS Grass was contracted to improve drainage and switched to a hybrid lawn (after lowering the ground level almost two meters, a 5 percent artificial and 95 percent natural grass was installed). Among the underground modifications that the Monumental now has, it stands out that the pipes were changed for PVC ones, a phase of laying pipes in rain drainage gutters, to then place the geotextile mantle and waterproof layer. After ditching the compacted soil base for the installation of pluvial drainage and aeration pipes, they were then covered with gravel to improve runoff. A layer of sand and the air conditioning system (heating and cooling) were also placed.

Also the bathrooms of the Monumental were remodelednew gastronomic stalls were created in lower grandstands, WIFI 6 was installed (key to later turn it into a Smart Stadium), fences were removed in the high Centenario to improve visibility and there were improvements in the sector for people who use wheelchairs.

Then, at the end of March, Work began on the expansion of the Monumentalwhat It will make it the stadium belonging to a football club with the largest capacity in South America, with a capacity for 81,000 spectators.

Much of the money from the works came through naming of Monumental (the GDN Group, which has Francisco De Narváez as its main head and has Changomas and Punto Mayorista under its orbit, among other companies, will invest about 20 million dollars for 7 years). The other part will come from genuine resources of the institution, such as pre-sale of tickets for these boxes and stalls that will be built in the short term and recitals.

This part of the reforms will be divided into two, and the first is focused on creation of three of the four lower stands (they will be in the area where the advertising banners are currently located): Sivori, Centennial and San Martin. The Belgrano, on the other hand, will be held in the next phase, since the River Plate Institute must first be moved (it could be within the club or on a nearby property). It is scheduled for completion in February 2023 and will cost about $20 million.

An old claim from members and supporters will also be fulfilled, such as the change of seats. First, advance will be made with those located in the lower and middle stands. In addition, two tunnels will be created coming from the locker rooms, allowing both teams to exit through the center of the pitch together, as is the case in most European stadiums.

In the middle Centenario, 30 new boxes will also be created, a 700-square-meter restaurant with a view of the Barrio River and the Monumental with independent access, and a new garage floor (for 227 vehicles and covered pedestrian access on the ground floor to the Stadium). In addition, there will be new restrooms in San Martín and a kitchen with views of the new single tunnel, a new referees’ locker room and anti-doping control, the audio system will be changed and there will be a new medical department on the ground floor of the Centenario grandstand.

Another significant change will be the distribution of the public, since 71% will be stalls and the remaining 29% popular. Both behind the arch of the Sívori grandstand and the Centenario, in the current low, plus the lower low to be built, will be popular. Then there will be the lower side stalls, the San Martín and Belgrano stalls and the entire ring of middle stalls. In the case of Centenario and Sívori, these stalls will have no connection with the popular ones.

In the second stage, which will also cost around 20 million dollars and is scheduled to be completed in July 2024, the bottom ring will close. With the works in Belgrano, 46 ​​boxes will be added to the media Sívori and in this way the circulation of the stadium will be closed. Two more parking floors will also be added (402 new garages, completing the five parking levels and a new pedestrian bridge on the upper level, with connection at the box level). In this way it will be able to house 1141 cars.

THE DETAIL OF THE WORKS:

Lower Centenary Low:

-It is the gallery where the work is most advanced.

-90% of concreting completed (tier stage).

-Opening of the new Marathon Gate for vehicular entry (in the area adjacent to the Belgrano stalls).

Centenary Boxes:

-The construction fence was placed for the construction of the new boxes.

-Bathrooms, grandstand bars and medical posts were demolished.

-30 new boxes will be built and a 24/7 restaurant of 500 square meters (interior) + 215 m2 exterior, with views of the River neighborhood and playing field, with new circulations and cladding.-Foundations for the elevator tower completed.

San Martin Lower Lower:

-A third of the concreting finished (tier stage).

-The single exit tunnel to the playing field is 70% complete (excavation and concreting). The support structure of the same is being executed.

-Soon the seats will begin to be placed.

Sívori low lower:

-Stage of foundations finished (bases that will support the entire weight of the structure).

-Currently the concrete of the new frames is being executed.

Belgrano low lower:

-Stage of foundations in process.

Phase 1:

– New lower lower grandstands in the Sívori, San Martín and Centenario sectors.

-Change of seats: removal of existing seats, waterproofing, new circulations and placement of new first-class retractable seats, quality according to FIFA standards, in San Martín lower, upper, middle and hospitality stands; Belgrano low top, middle, hospitality and boxes; Media centennial and boxes. A total of 17,157 new seats will be completed for this phase.

-The Press sector will have new desks in the middle Belgrano grandstand (247 seats).

-30 boxes in Centenario media and a 700-square-meter restaurant with views of the River neighborhood and playing field, with new circulations and coverings.

-New circulation and coverings in boxes in the Belgrano grandstand.

-New garages: new parking level and covered pedestrian access on the ground floor to the Stadium. 227 garages will be added.

-Enlargement of the Paddock San Martín, since it will go from 200 to 500 square meters.

– New referees changing room.

-New anti-doping control sector.

-Expansion of the gastronomic sector in San Martín media

-New audio system in the Stadium.

-New Medical Department on the ground floor of the Centenario grandstand.

Level 2:

-New Lower Lower Belgrano Grandstand.

-Change of seats and waterproofing in the lower Belgrano lower stands; Sívori media and boxes; San Martín, Belgrano, Centenario and Sívori high. A total of 40,565 seats will be changed, completing the entire Stadium.

-Creation of 46 boxes in the Sívori grandstand.

-Execution of two more parking levels. In this way, there will be 402 new garages, completing the five parking levels and a new pedestrian bridge on the upper level, with connection at the box level. It will have a final capacity of 1,141 cars.

-New mixed area on the ground floor of the Belgrano grandstand.

-New River Institute.

MORE DETAILS OF THE WORKS

KEEP READING: