Report on Archival Research and Archeological Monitoring of the West End Improvements project at Sanford Stadium, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

Southeastern Archeological Services (SAS) conducted background/archival research and archeological monitoring for the West End Stadium Project. The renovation of the stadium involves the demolition and reconstruction of a 1.5-ac area partly underneath the west end stadium stands, and the excavation of an underground steam and chill line trench (Figure 1 ), hereafter referred to as the steam line. The renovation was directed by DPR Construction Company who employed a number of subcontractors to perform the work. John Taylor was DPR's superintendent on the project, and Lauren Snedeker, also of DPR, acted as the main contact between SAS and DPR. Derrick Shuber, the UGA Athletic Projects Manager, and Scott Messer of the Office of University Architects (OUA) were consulted regularly throughout the project. Archaeological monitoring was conducted by the author between May and August 2017.

Because the steam line was the most extensive ground disturbing activity associated with the West End Stadium project, archeological monitoring was focused on the steam line. The trench for the steam line was 10-ft wide and extended as much as 12-ft below the current ground surface. The line begins to the northwest of the Tate Center Parking Deck (Figure 2) and wraps around its west side, between the parking deck and the sidewalk along Lumpkin Street (Figure 3). The steam line then crosses the road leading into the Parking Deck and Sanford Stadium and then turns east and runs along the south edge of this road (Figure 4). Various other ground disturbing activities were included in the renovation on the west end of the Stadium, including the renovation of the old main gate. A number of augur cast pilings were augured or drilled to depths of 50 and 60-ft beneath the west end of the stadium to support the new buildings which will house a locker room and showers, restrooms, a sports medicine facility, and other amenities.