Want to live at the Ball Park?

3455 Views 24 Replies 17 Participants Last post by pdxheel, May 8, 2007

NOG

Discussion Starter · May 3, 2007

This is an interesting proposal for Des Moines' Principal Park, home of the Triple A Iowa Cubs. I recall seeing hotels built in stadiums, but I am not sure if actual housing has been built in a stadium before.

From KCCI.com with video

Iowa Cubs Could Build Condos At Baseball Park

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Will an idea to build housing at Principal Park hit a home run?

Condos could soon be coming to Principal Park.

A proposal calls for condos or apartments to be built above left field at the ballpark.

The question is, will anyone want to live there?

The idea is only in preliminary stages. Iowa Cubs owners and management want to see if it will work.

"You've got baseball in your yard 72 nights out of the year," said Iowa Cubs General Manger Sam Bernabe.

The Iowa Cubs ownership is considering a plan to build condominiums or apartments in left field above the Cub Club and luxury suites.

"There's nothing like it anywhere and it would help us finance a locker room that we would want to build and expand," said Iowa Cubs owner Michael Gartner.

If the project proves to be financially feasible, there could be 30 to 50 condos or apartments built.

"We think it would be kind of neat if it works. We don't know if it will work," Gartner said.

The Iowa Cubs ownership would pay for the project. Because Des Moines owns the stadium, the city would have to agree to the deal.

The project is estimated to cost $10 to 15 million. The cost of each unit for someone who would want to live there could start at $200,000.

"It does bring housing to downtown Des Moines, which is always good. (It would) bring more life to downtown," said baseball fan Mike Wanzek.

"I think it's exciting. (It's) a new opportunity for Des Moines. It think it would be a lot of fun," said baseball fan Rene Halsey.

"If you're into sports quite a bit, I think it would be neat to be that close," said baseball fan Jeremy Montgomery.

The key is getting baseball fans or anyone for that matter to live at Principal Park.

"Getting away from yard work, snow, I think it would be fun," Halsey said.

"No way -- I'm a suburb person," said baseball fan Sandy Nelson.

Renderings:

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xzmattzx

· #2 · May 3, 2007

I heard about this. It would be interesting. One thing that could be a big issue is that you have to deal with crowds in the area on game day. It's one thing to live across the street from a stadium, but to live pretty much in the stadium? You might be subjected to a little more carelessness because people might think that the clean-up crew will take care of any mess that they leave near your property during a game.

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exit_320

· #3 · May 3, 2007

It's an interesting idea.. would be great for baseball fans.. I am just not sure I could handle being there for every game with the noise / crowds

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Bluewarning

· #4 · May 3, 2007

Thats a pretty cool idea. However, I dont want to live anywhere affiliated with the Cubs.

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Steely Dan

· #5 · May 3, 2007 (Edited)

xzmattzx said:
I heard about this. It would be interesting. One thing that could be a big issue is that you have to deal with crowds in the area on game day. It's one thing to live across the street from a stadium, but to live pretty much in the stadium? You might be subjected to a little more carelessness because people might think that the clean-up crew will take care of any mess that they leave near your property during a game.

i used to live half a block down the street from wrigley field and fans would thoroughly trash the neighborhood before and after games (i even arrived home one night to find some drunk fan urinating on the stoop of my apartment building). the cubs actually hired clean-up crews to clean up the mess in the neighborhood as well as on the stadium grounds.

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milwaukeeunseen

· #6 · May 3, 2007

Interesting. If they can sell the units then more power to them. I am a baseball fan but I would rather live four blocks down from the ballpark, not at the ballpark. What happens when a game goes into extra innings and you need to go to bed because you have an important meeting in the morning? But then again this is a minor league stadium so the crowd noise and the sound from the loudspeakers wouldn't be nearly as loud as at a major league park.

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SRG

· #7 · May 3, 2007

I wonder if this is affiliated with Sportslofts and Capstone development. They have very similar projects in Louisville, Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, and Lawrence.

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kcmetro

· #8 · May 3, 2007

I don't see the allure of having a condo in a stadium. I know a few rich schmucks might buy one just to have one, but I don't see the purpose. Unless you get off on crowd noise and hot dog vendors, I would just get a condo nearby where you can at least escape the baseball atmosphere after the game is over.

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MilwaukeeD

· #9 · May 3, 2007

well the draw is that you can see the game from your condo. if you lived near the stadium, you would also have to buy tickets.

I wonder if some corporations would buy one and use it like a luxury box. $200,000 wouldn't be bad to own a luxury box.

if the brewers did this, and the stadium was downtown, i would most definitely be interested.

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Bluewarning

· #10 · May 3, 2007

MilwaukeeD said:
well the draw is that you can see the game from your condo. if you lived near the stadium, you would also have to buy tickets.

I wonder if some corporations would buy one and use it like a luxury box. $200,000 wouldn't be bad to own a luxury box.

if the brewers did this, and the stadium was downtown, i would most definitely be interested.

You want to listen to Roll Out the Barrell every night of the week?

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kcmetro

· #11 · May 3, 2007

This dude would probably want one of these condos. Talk about OCD. :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsF0mPONeZc

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NaptownBoy

· #12 · May 3, 2007

Although highly unlikely, if a home run hit one of the windows in your condo, who pays up?

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astyrrian

· #13 · May 3, 2007

Fort Wayne is doing something similar with the Harrison Square project

City site
Project blog

Pics below sort of show the condos.

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MilwaukeeD

· #14 · May 3, 2007

Bluewarning said:
You want to listen to Roll Out the Barrell every night of the week?

i pretty much watch every brewers game if i am home anyway, so why not just watch it out my window instead of on tv?

i don't know if i would pay much extra for it, but if the $200k condos are of similar size and quality to other $200k condos, there is no doubt I would buy the one at the stadium.

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Whosville

· #15 · May 3, 2007

I think there is a frontier league team that has done this already in Traverse City Michigan. Here is a pic:

I think it would get old pretty fast. They can't actually use the field, so it is not like you are living in a park. Housing near ballparks is fine, housing in ballparks is a little crazy. It does not even look like the views will be that good and it looks like there will be bleachers attached to some apartment buildings. If someone hits a home run, the whole house will shake.

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Bluewarning

· #16 · May 3, 2007

MilwaukeeD said:
i pretty much watch every brewers game if i am home anyway, so why not just watch it out my window instead of on tv?

i don't know if i would pay much extra for it, but if the $200k condos are of similar size and quality to other $200k condos, there is no doubt I would buy the one at the stadium.

yeah, I usually watch them all too. However, I think it sounds better than what it would be.

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DMRyan

· #17 · May 3, 2007

SRG said:
I wonder if this is affiliated with Sportslofts and Capstone development. They have very similar projects in Louisville, Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, and Lawrence.

This is an idea floated from the owner of the Iowa Cubs.

The ballpark in Des Moines sits at the confluence of two rivers, with trails and parkland along each, and it would be right across the street from these condos. It also sits at the edge of downtown, so skyline views would be great from the opposite side (on the upper floors anyway).

I wish they would go taller and add more use, because I think it will be a hit!

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cwilson758

· #18 · May 4, 2007

Whosville said:
I think there is a frontier league team that has done this already in Traverse City Michigan. Here is a pic:

I think it would get old pretty fast. They can't actually use the field, so it is not like you are living in a park. Housing near ballparks is fine, housing in ballparks is a little crazy. It does not even look like the views will be that good and it looks like there will be bleachers attached to some apartment buildings. If someone hits a home run, the whole house will shake.

That looks HORRENDOUS! Why on Earth would that design get approved and who the hell would pay to live there?????

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kcmetro

· #19 · May 4, 2007

cwilson758 said:
That looks HORRENDOUS! Why on Earth would that design get approved and who the hell would pay to live there?????

I agree. I'd say the developer pulled a fast one on the planning staff/commission.

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dogbo

· #20 · May 4, 2007 (Edited)

kcmetro said:
I agree. I'd say the developer pulled a fast one on the planning staff/commission.

Whew! It thought it was just me because no one had said anything. That is not attractive.

As for the ballpark housing proposed for Des Moines, at least the condo's get you up and off the ground/away from the parking lot/people walking into the stadium, etc.) and located off of the left field fence so it doesn't interfere with what a ballpark should look like as you approach the gates.

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