Meet The Boss: Fellow Badger Fan Jim Schumacher
August 01, 2003 | General News
All Wisconsin fans can recall their first memory of the Cardinal and White. For Cullen-Smith Project Executive Jim Schumacher, it was Oct. 11, 1969. The Badgers had suffered through a 21-game losing streak the past two seasons and had taken the field at Camp Randall Stadium against Iowa. For then 10-year-old Jim Schumacher, it was a special day. The Badgers defeated the Hawkeyes 23-17 to end the drought and a young boy became a Wisconsin fan for life.
Speed ahead to 2003 and you'll find Schumacher seated comfortably in his temporary office building located on the lawn at the southeast corner of Camp Randall Stadium. Nice digs for any Badger enthusiast, but also essential to the on-site management of the largest renovation project occurring in the state of Wisconsin at this time. For the Project Executive and his crew of more than 100 workers in the joint venture team of Cullen-Smith, it's an experience they don't want to miss.
'Anytime you get into a high-profile job, people get excited, people want to be a part of it,' said Schumacher, who also helped lead the State Capitol building renovation for 11 years. 'It was no different than with the Capitol. Once somebody was there, they wanted to stay. They wanted to be a part of that to the end.
'We're finding the same thing here. Not everybody gets to work on old buildings and not everybody gets to work on Camp Randall Stadium. But fortunately, I have been able to and so have others around here. That and the whole athletic atmosphere, as opposed to a school or an office building, it's more vibrant. It's more keyed up. It's more lively.'
A 22-year veteran of J.P. Cullen & Sons, Inc., based out of Janesville, Wis., Schumacher cites two reasons for the combined efforts with C.D. Smith Construction of Fond du Lac, Wis.
'First, to bring the resources together to be able to facilitate the job,' he explains. '(The renovation) was originally a much larger project, before being scaled back. Second, and most importantly, to have a true general contractor that could come out here and not only build the project, but manage the project for the state of Wisconsin.'
So how does Camp Randall's new facelift compare with that of its northern brother, ever-popular home of the Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field '
Although similar in necessity for upgrading, Schumacher, who 's familiar with the Lambeau renovation, says Camp Randall is a smaller-scale project.
'Lambeau was a much larger-scale renovation, a $350 million job, as compared to an $83 million job,' he said. 'Similar in that Lambeau was upgrading, adding seats and essentially that's what we're doing here. The primary focus of this renovation is to upgrade the infrastructure and facilities that the patrons come to. Although it may seem like we are just adding suites, when we get all done the whole stadium is renovated.
Schumacher, a football season-ticket holder himself, admits the Camp Randall Renovation project is challenging due to less space, an active workplace in the stadium and the schedule overlap with three football seasons (2003-05). However, for the boss and his crew that will peak at 200-300 workers throughout the next few years, it 's all just part of the job.
'We have enough time to do the work,' Schumacher said. 'Yes, it's challenging to schedule around an active work place, but it's been a real teamwork atmosphere with everyone from the University side. We 're looking out for them and they're looking out for us because the sooner we get done and out of their hair, the sooner the mess goes away. It's a win-win situation.'
The first major test for the Cullen-Smith joint venture will be preparing for Sept. 6 and Wisconsin's home-opener versus Akron. Already looking ahead, Schumacher explains that Cullen-Smith's workweek will be shortened from five eight-hour days to four 10-hour days. Friday, Sept. 5 will be used to re-route the protective fencing around the active construction sites in order to open up most of Camp Randall's traditional gates for Badger fans.
'Friday, we'll get ready for the game,' he said. 'It will all be ready and we'll go home with the crew on Friday. You'll come and go to the game and won't even know. Other than the alleyway (on the east side of the stadium), it's not going to be any different than it's been for past games.
'The greatest message that we want to get out is that it will be like new when we are done. The environment, the attitude, the whole stadium is going to change. There's a pilgrimage that comes here every Saturday. Well, that pilgrimage is going to get to come to something a whole lot better than they have ever been to. They are going to like it.'
Sites & Sounds Around Camp Randall
Construction continues south along Section Q of the Stadium on the superstructure. Similar to the now almost fully encased first section, workers will build the fifth floor, then continue vertically through the top floor before moving further south. Construction crews have erected the steel columns and started placing the concrete flooring of the fifth floor this week.
Within the confines of Camp Randall's hallways, drilling for utility piping continues and crews have also started placing some of the piping. Additionally, masonry crews continue to wall up new electrical and mechanical rooms in what was formerly Lot 84 (northeast ground floor) and the old National W Club Room.
To the south of the Stadium, crews are aggressively backfilling the remaining open areas of the new administration building's foundation hole. Asphalt will also be laid following the backfilling in preparation for fans entering the Stadium on Sept. 6.
Construction crews will also be growing as roofers and glazers for windows join the project in August. With one section of the superstructure now completed, these additional crew members can begin their work.
If it looks like grass'
With the finishing touches being applied to the FieldTurf inside the bowl, Camp Randall's hallowed goalposts were restored to their traditional resting spots on the field Thursday.
Crews continue the labor-intensive work of ripping up the McClain Center's old turf in preparation for the indoor installation of FieldTurf. Completion is slated for Aug. 3 in time for the start of football camp Aug. 6.
Reminder - Access to Camp Randall Stadium
Visitors are reminded that entry into Camp Randall Stadium is limited to the Gate 15 area at the north end of the Stadium (closed end of horseshoe) near the Lot 17 parking ramp. There is parking available in Lot 17. Please enter the Stadium through the red door marked 'Athletic Department Business'. The Gate 15 area can be accessed from Breese Terrace, the Lot 17 parking ramp and the area just north of the McClain Center.
Also, please remember that the Camp Randall bowl is a construction site and is off limits to everyone. For safety and health reasons, please do not use the bowl as a way to take a short cut or for any other purpose.
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