Moravian Preservation Master Plan.indb - Society for College and ...

Moravian College • Preservation Master Plan
Land Use
The north part of Steel Field is used exclusively
for recreation and has been at least since 1916.
The original use of the area between Laurel and
Fairview is not known, but it is currently used for
recreation.
Circulation Features
Primary circulation features affecting Steel Field
are Elizabeth Avenue to the north, Center Street
to the east, and Long Street to the west. Three
vehicular entrances into the site are apparent, two
providing access to the Grandstand and main field
from Elizabeth and Center, and one to the Field
House from Long Street. Sidewalks along Elizabeth
Avenue and Center Street provide pedestrian
access around and into the site. The block of Laurel
Street within Steel Field was closed after 1966 and
the pavement removed, except for the driveway
to the Field House parking lot. The rest of Laurel
was replaced with a sidewalk entering from Center
Street and leading to the center of the complex.
Contributing features:
• Elizabeth Avenue
• Center Street
• Long Street
• Sidewalks along Elizabeth and Center
• Portion of Laurel Street to Field House
parking lot
Views and Vistas
Views and vistas available within the Steel Field
character area include linear views of the streetscape
along Elizabeth, Center, and Long that likely date
to the time of construction of the Grandstand. The
most prominent views, however, are provided from
the Grandstand into the main field and beyond.
Here one can see not only the action on the field, but
the fabric of the historic townscape that surrounds
the field (see figure 5-70).
Contributing features:
• Linear views of streetscape
• Views of field and townscape from
Grandstand
Vegetation
The palette of vegetation is quite simple within
Steel Field. The primary elements are turf and
trees. The turf provides a playing surface for the
baseball, softball, and open fields while trees along
the edge provide a translucent screen between the
area and its surroundings and between interior
fields. The main playing field was once a natural
turf field, but was renovated in 2005 to artificial turf
(see figure 5-70). Ornamental shrubs were planted
at the northwest corner of the field as part of the
recent renovation.
Contributing features:
• Street trees
Landscape Structures
Structures within the landscape of Steel Field include
two sets of temporary open steel bleachers that
supplement the seating provided in the Grandstand
and the brick retaining wall that encloses the east
end of the main field. All of these features appear to
have been constructed in the recent past.
Contributing features:
• None identified
Site Furnishings and Objects
Site furnishings and objects found with the Steel
Field character area are primarily related to sports
functions. The fields and tennis courts are each
surrounded by chainlink fencing, ranging from
four feet to upwards of approximately twenty or
more feet in height. Other features include goals,
signs, and field lights. It appears that most if not all
of these features have been recently installed.
Contributing features:
• None identified
Archeological Features
No archeological resources are presently known
or recorded within the Steel Field character area.
The topographic setting of this character area and
the historical development of the area suggest that
the potential for prehistoric (Native American)
archeological resources to be extant is considered to
be low. It is likely that archeological evidence of the
pre-1916 historical agricultural uses of the area may
be present, although the likelihood of significant
John Milner Associates • October 2009 • Chapter 5 • Cultural Landscapes • 98