Roosevelt Stadium: Union City, N.J.
When you can't build outward, you have to build up. That's the lesson learned at Union City High, where they came up with a unique setup in the nation's densest city.
Photo courtesy of Union City High School
probably is the only high school in the country with its football field resting on the roof.
When the new school was built - consolidating Emerson and Union Hill - there was no room for a football stadium because Union City (population 66,455) is the most densely populated city in the country with 51,810 people per square mile.
The school, which is surrounded by private homes and businesses, rests on the site of the former Roosevelt Stadium, which was a 1937 public works project. The third-floor stadium presents a breathtaking view of the Empire State Building and Midtown Manhattan.
The stadium has been nicknamed "Eagle's Nest" in honor of its new mascot, a soaring eagle. It seats 2,500 and has artificial turf. The school cost $180 million, with $15 million of that going toward the stadium. There is a 40-foot high net in each end zone to catch attempted field goals and extra points. Since the first game in 2009, only two footballs and one soccer ball have been lost, according to Athletic Director Dave Clauser.
Baseballs have provided a more serious situation, however, because Clauser noted that one nearby neighbor has had the windshield of his car broken three times.
The most unusual incident came in October of the first year, when a fire alarm forced the evacuation of an estimated 700 fans at halftime. During a playoff game last year, capacity of 2,500 was reached early and 1,500 very unhappy fans were left mulling around in the street below until they got tired and went home.
The NFL Play for 60 camp for ages 9-13 was held at the stadium. It targeted obesity and the ensuing diabetic problem and drew 300 entries, mostly from Hudson County. The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers have practiced at the stadium prior to games in New York as well.
