Parkway papal preps beginning to take shape

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- Work continues to transform the Ben Franklin Parkway for Pope Francis. An elaborate stage is being constructed, and as we get closer to the big events, people are finalizing their plans on how to get there.

Eakins Oval is now like a giant machine, with a small army of workers building and moving.

In addition to the raising of a huge arched roof over the stage, thousands of square feet of flooring has been installed - man smoothing out Mother Nature's uneven spots.

The work seems endless. Doors are being carried, destined for TV anchor booths being built. Tree limbs are being cut up when they are in the way of progress. A huge speaker tower is being assembled, not in generic rock concert black, but wrapped in papal white.

Scott Mirkin, President of ESM Productions, is the man overseeing this enormous, but temporary papal setting that contains miles of wiring, 500 theater lights, and sound for a million people.

Mirkin explains, "Several hundred thousand watts of power, amps actually, being delivered through 15 or so power plants that we have around the footprint."

All day long onlookers would walk up and take in the transformation.

Center City resident Katherine Risk tells us, "I think super cool. I think it's crazy and so intense, but we're going to have the world watching, so why not make the best out of Philadelphia."

Steve Kovatch of Chadds Ford and his friends have rented a townhouse nearby for this weekend's events.

He says, "For the Mass we have sit down seats and for Saturday we have standing room. So, pretty far back but you've got the view, you know it's the atmosphere."

Kovatch says his tickets are for the so-called Red Zone, which extends from Eakins Oval to approximately half a mile down the Parkway. According to the Secret Service, approximately 80,000 people have tickets to be in that area both Saturday and Sunday.