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Evanston residents have voiced concerns about Northwestern University’s Ryan Field rebuild proposal including as many as 12 concerts and community events a year.
Northwestern addressed these concerns at a June 27 community meeting by bringing in consultants to discuss concert operations and noise levels.
Acoustics consulting firm Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon, Williams put together a report addressing current on-site sound levels and modeled how sound could be generated with the new proposal by using an environmental sound analysis software called CadnaA, a sound assessment states.
“We looked at the acoustics of the community by getting our boots on the ground with sound level meters to get what the ambient sound levels are,” WJHW Principal Greg Hughes said. “The measurements were taken on both game day and nongame day weekends.”
Hughes said measurements were taken from the existing Ryan Field parking lot and throughout the neighborhood to “understand what we’re experiencing in the community” and “residential areas.”
He said data collected by the study and environmental sound analysis can be used to provide structural design choices to limit potentially disruptive noise. In previous Ward 7 community meetings, Northwestern University Project Manager Steven Himes, who also worked on the 2018 Walsh-Ryan Arena renovation, said the stadium’s design would include facades and a canopy to help contain noise.
“The stadium would have facades that are partially enclosed on its vertical surfaces — not entirely but partially — and then there is a 360-degree canopy extending from the perimeter over the seating bowl to help reflect (and contain) sound into the stadium,” Himes said at a November meeting.
WJHW’s sound assessment predicts game day events’ sound levels to last six to eight hours and typical concerts to last three to four hours. It estimates concert noise levels in surrounding residential areas to range from 55 to 75 decibels A’s, which is similar to the stadium’s existing game day activities.
“The results of this analysis show sound generated at the new stadium (during concerts) is projected to the north and west,” the assessment states. “Areas to the east and south also show sound impact, but less so than to the north. Sound transmission to the south could be described as noticeable but generally does not substantially exceed the ambient sound levels measured in the area.”
The consulting firm’s analysis pointed to the proposed Ryan Field stadium’s design and reduced capacity as a positive when containing sound.
“We think the design of the new Ryan Field, and the reduction in stadium capacity, will be helpful in reducing sound impact when compared to the current stadium’s design,” the assessment states. “However, as with football game days, concerts will generate sound (so) there is no way to reduce it to zero.”
The assessment goes on to say the city and Northwestern will have to work together to find a balance between the noise generated by potential concerts and the social and economic benefits the concert would bring the city.
Consulting Firm Kimley-Horn sent Senior Transportation Engineer Peter Lemmon to speak with residents regarding the project’s impact on transportation issues. He said transit plans for game days and concerts are currently utilizing the university’s on-site parking lots, shuttle buses and the Chicago Transit Authority — neighborhood parking would be restricted from non-Evanstonians on concert days.
Residents have expressed concern about the potential for increased noise levels from concerts held at the venue. Some compared the plan back in November of last year to Wrigley Field, saying increased use of the field could lead to a change in the neighborhood. Others have said they don’t appreciate the commercialization of their neighborhood.
Both groups have teamed up to form the Northwestern Accountability Alliance to hold the university to its promises and encourage the city to hold approval of any plans until a community benefits agreement is completed. Those promises include increased sustainability efforts and offering 35% of “total subcontracted spending (to) local, minority-owned and women-owned businesses for the Ryan Field project, with priority given to businesses and individuals located in Evanston,” according to Northwestern University’s Rebuild Ryan Field website.
The website also states the rebuild would not be financially viable by only hosting seven football games a year.
Land Use Commission Chair Matt Rogers said residents concerned about the rebuild will have the chance to give public comment and recommended comments be submitted in writing beforehand as commenters will be given limited time to speak. Those wishing to submit a public comment can email them to publiccomment@cityofevanston.org.
Corey Schmidt is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
