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Boston builder Shawmut Design and Construction has finished two new ventilation areas at the Barclays Centerhome to the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and the WNBA’s New York Liberty, according to an Oct. 23 press release. Both the Gallagher Terrace Premium Members Club and the Model Bridge projects are part of a five-year, approximately $100 million plan to enhance the arena experience for attendees.
The 5,300-square-foot Gallagher Terrace replaces sections of the arena’s luxury seating, namely the 40/40 Club and Loge Boxes, according to the press release. Inspired by the Gilded Age of Brooklyn, the space is the only arena-seat dining experience with courtside visibility and waiter service.
The Modelo Bridge is a two-level, 6,800-square-foot community center, according to the release. The bridge-like centerpiece connects two standing room decks with unobstructed views of gaming or entertainment and downtown Brooklyn. It includes the arena’s largest bar, at 67 feet long, food and merchandise kiosks, and artwork by local muralists.
Shawmut worked with architect Populous to execute the renovations, along with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, according to the news release.
The team executed “a quick, high-impact renovation that seamlessly blends functionality with a design that pays homage to the Brooklyn community,” said David Margolius, executive vice president of Shawmut’s New York metropolitan region.
For the Barclays Center, the first phase of his $100 million plan included the establishment of two open-concept premium members’ clubs — The Toki Row and JetBlue at The Key — at the arena, which added to the arena’s existing luxury spaces, according to an October 2024 press release. Shawmut led the construction of the first phase, according to the company.
Other projects Shawmut has completed for the Barclays Center include the Garden Bar in the arena’s main concourse and six backstage locker rooms, along with the Crown Club, the Locker rooms and weight rooms New York Liberty and the team store, according to the release.
Barclays Center also noted that it would complete several renovation projects over the next five years to improve the experience for all guests, regardless of seat location, according to the announcement.
Other recent renovations to the stadium, such as M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and Rogers Center in Torontohome of MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays, have emphasized premium and luxury spaces in sports facilities.
This push comes from a try to generate more income of different groups of attendees, Michael Hessert, senior director of PBK Sports, the athletics arm of Houston-based architecture firm PBK, told Construction Dive last year.
“Whereas before you might have had four categories that stacked vertically from lowest cost to highest cost, the more layers you can put in there now, the more you can push the revenue dollar higher and increase your revenue stream without adding more seats,” Hessert said.
