Firm Waives Stadium Design Fee

NORTHRIDGE — The architectural firm that will design the $200 million downtown arena has agreed to donate its services to the Cal State Northridge stadium project.

Over the next three weeks, NBBJ, which also is designing the San Francisco 49ers’ new stadium as well as baseball stadiums in Seattle and Milwaukee, will settle on a stadium site and gain feedback from potential users.

The multiuse stadium is projected to cost $1.5 million and is the brainstorm of Steven Soboroff, senior advisor to Mayor Richard Riordan. It will be built on the Northridge campus and serve the softball team and various youth organizations.

“The mayor is very much engaged in the project and is very encouraged,” said Soboroff, who estimated the value of NBBJ’s services at $50,000. “We are staying in the major leagues with this project.”

Soboroff plans to meet with Northridge President Blenda J. Wilson next week to form a stadium committee that he will chair.

“The committee will be a workshop that will include representatives from potential users and potential [investors],” Soboroff said.

NBBJ partner Mike Hallmark estimated the site and use analysis will take about three weeks.

Hallmark said his firm has designed several minor league stadiums about the same scale as the Northridge project.