Case History No. 9
Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk | Brooklyn, New York
Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, the cornerstone of the state-of-the-art Seaside Park and Community Arts Center, is a new outdoor live entertainment venue that opened in July of 2016. The 5,000-seat covered open-air venue – the first of its kind in the Tri-State area – will host a mix of concerts, family shows, sports, comedy, and multicultural events. While this was an exciting addition to Coney Island, many concerns were raised early on regarding noise issues.
A New York City based contractor reached out to Sound Seal with the complex and complicated opportunity to solve the noise concerns surrounding this project. The solution proposed had to be lightweight but also carry high acoustical ratings and a Class A flammability rating. This posed quite a challenge on the acoustical side as typically, the heavier the substrate, the better acoustical performance achieved.
Based on the requirements of the project, Sound Seal proposed a custom fabricated composite solution. To get around the weight concern without compromising acoustics, Sound Seal recommended a 1/2lb, high strength reinforced barrier, combined with a 2 inch thick quilted fiberglass. With this proposed solution, the STC 26 and NRC .85 acoustical ratings would be met.
Adding to the complexity, was the design of the venue. Due to the shape of the structure, a total of 300 panels, totaling 60,000 square feet of material, had to be custom designed and cut into unique shapes to meet the unique needs of the space. This required over 400 CAD drawings and an extremely high level of manufacturing expertise.
The installation of this project had to be fast and furious based on the opening date of the venue. Sound Seal stepped up to the plate and manufactured and delivered the complete job, close to 300 panels, within 8 weeks from order placement. Each week, a shipment took place allowing the construction and installation team to follow a tight and demanding install schedule.
There were a total of six sections of acoustic paneling, of which, one section per week needed to be installed to stay on schedule. Due to the expedited and seamless delivery from Sound Seal, the construction team was able to complete the project in the expected time frame of six weeks. The Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island successfully opened on time without a hitch and with the state of the art acoustics they expected to gain from partnering with Sound Seal.