MANHATTAN — After three years of neglect, the New York City planning board announced Tuesday morning that plans to demolish the irreparably damaged Yankee Stadium will be underway as soon as Wednesday morning. The historic stadium, built in 1923, has stood as a historically significant landmark for generations. Suffering severe structural damage in the explosion of 2006, the stadium's condition only worsened as neglect going on nearly three years as the Manhattan Reclamation Project continues to focus on electrical and transportation issues rather than the beleaguered stadium finally served as its death knell.
Following an inspection on the 18th, Yankee Stadium was deemed to be structurally unsound and the cost to repair the historic structure was deemed irreparable.
The lot chosen for the planned new Yankee Stadium adjacent to the one constructed in 1923 was claimed in December of 2006 to serve as the site of Brooklyn's temporary housing unit for displaced survivors of the midtown nuclear explosion. As such, the city plans to demolish the remains of the current stadium with plans to rebuild by 2012.
Reaction among residents of the city have been strong, and the loss of the iconic stadium has been met with harsh opposition. A protest is set for Wednesday morning in the hopes it will delay the demolition process.