Rooftop athletic field a hit for New Jersey school

It's not unusual for schools built in tight, urban environments to have some athletic or recreational space on the roof (a playground or a basketball court, for example), but a new high school in Union City, N.J., takes rooftop athletics to a new level by placing a regulation-size baseball field atop the 360,000-sf facility.

RSC Architects of Cliffside Park, N.J., in partnership with the New York office of HOK, managed to fit three acres of artificial turf and grandstand seating for 2,100 spectators, plus concession stands and locker rooms on the building's roof. The field also accommodates football games and soccer matches. Outdoor lighting, protective fencing, and netting were installed on the rooftop athletic facility so that the fields could be used by the city's recreational programs during non-school hours.