A recent renovation project at Carter Park in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., brought a new grandstand enclosure (GT Grandstands) that provides storage for local youth football and track and field after-school programs. The enclosures, which can be customized with logos or colors, keep equipment secure and accessible and prevent litter or debris from collecting under the grandstands.

Architects and facilities designers are creating storage areas for athletic programs by dressing up stadium grandstands with custom enclosure panels. Dressing enclosure panels or windscreens in school or team colors and logos can transform an unused area into a functional storage space for track and field equipment like hurdles and starting blocks, football tackling dummies, tailgate supplies or baseball pitching machines.

"As part of the new covered bleachers for the stadium at Carter Park, the client opted for a completely enclosed panel system beneath the new grandstand structure using the client's colors," said Carty Architecture principal Judy Carty of the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., renovation project. "This area now provides cost effective storage for the various athletic leagues, after school programs and summer camps that utilize the park year round."

Color coordinating panels can enclose one or two sides of the grandstand, or windscreens featuring a school logo can surround the entire structure.