Nation's stadium experts explain how the West Side could be won.

An expert panel discussed the impact stadiums have on urban centers at a July 13 presentation sponsored by the New York Jets.

Using Soldier Field in Chicago, the Sky Dome in Toronto, and Fenway Park in Boston as diverse examples of stadium design and interaction with the surrounding community, the event--which was held at the Center for Architecture--offered an optimistic take on the construction of such venues.

Intricate miniature models and grand, colorful posters on display detailing the Jets' own proposed West Side stadium were not so subtle reminders of what the positive report was meant to support.

"The point of this forum was to give the community a chance to hear about projects similar to the West Side stadium and see how beneficial to the community they can be," said Jets" spokesperson, Marissa Shorenstein.

Each stadium cited seemed to counter the prominent objections for such developments.

Panelist Joe Caprile of Lohan, Caprile, Goettsch architects in Chicago, who was involved in the master planning for the rebuilding of Soldier Field, exposited how unsightly, massive parking lots which typically surround stadiums were eliminated via his design. Space efficient multistory parking structures and better designed pedestrian paths providing access to nearby public transportation, created 17 acres of green space on the grounds surrounding the Chicago Bears' home while also lessening congestion.

Caprile indicated that by replacing ugly seas of parking with sculpted, natural grounds, the stadium's economic potential was increased as it now attracts more events, including the Chicago marathon, which used the stadium's grounds for its starting line this year.

"The goal was to bring people down on non-event days just to enjoy the park," Caprile said. "This project has been successful in doing that."

Toronto's 50,000 seat SkyDome, which has a meager 500 parking spaces, has been similarly successful in harnessing public transportation without creating massive ebbs and flows of traffic in the surrounding neighborhood during event days.

Panelist Ken Greenberg, involved in me planning for that stadium, lives only a few blocks away and said, "I hardly know if there's an event going on." Instead of detracting from living in the neighborhood, Greenberg claimed that the stadium actually spurred a great deal of residential development in the immediate area.

What Greenberg did warn about, was the often-tricky interaction between an urban stadium and the immediate neighborhood. One of the failings of SkyDome, according to Greenberg, is the bleakness of its exterior. Via slides, he detailed how the facade and perimeter streetways are aesthetically unappealing to passing pedestrians, at least partly because stadium vendors have holed themselves up within SkyDome.

"These vendors could be offering services to the community, thereby increasing traffic and making the stadium more a part of the surrounding neighborhood," he said. "You really have to pay attention to the nature of the business deals. There has to be a vested interest in people involved to make this a true urban stadium."

Fenway Park, Major League Baseball's smallest stadium, has been the antithesis of SkyDome with regard to its relationship with the community. Adorned with statues reminding the surrounding neighborhood of its great players of the past and the equally great causes they were involved in--one such statue depicts Ted Williams putting his cap on the head of a young child stricken with leukemia--as well as the club's long history at Fenway, the Red Sox have gained concessions from the local community.

Although each stadium is unique, the Jets' planned design wants to encourage Fenway caliber public image with Soldier Field style green space. Caprile was quick to warn however that parkland, retail elements and concession stands were not enough secure consistent traffic.

"You can't just put down grass and trees," he said. "You can't just put in restaurants either and expect everyone to flock to the area. There are restaurants all over Manhattan. You have to plan events; that's the key. You have to make the area a place to be with things going on."