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Sunny Steel Stroll

October 10, 2008 3:08 AM

It was midday yesterday and I had to be downtown so, as I always do, I zipped on over to the ballpark site to get a quick look and some pictures. First up was the roof of the Minikahda building (click to enlarge):

What a view! I noticed a group of hard hats down Fifth Street looking at the tracks. One of those, I believe was our own AP, who offered a link to his photo gallery from the trip. Thanks, AP!

Next I headed down to the street and got a look at Gate 29 "Carew" which is rapidly taking shape in steel:

As you can see, some of the steel supports for the stadia are starting to appear, including the long one for the center field pavilion. At some point in 2010 I plan to see a game from right there:

At one point I was able to stick my camera in and get a look at what's going on beneath the steel (photos below), but then I moved on to the B ramp for a look at the plaza.

They were pouring concrete over a layer of sand over another layer of concrete on the plaza. Very perplexing:

Finally, I headed over to Seventh Street to get a look at the limestone and see what sorts of details had changed. As I walked back, I noticed a fellow in a suit jacket standing down at the corner of Seventh and Second, clearly admiring the work and making his way casually toward me. It was Jerry Bell.

Jerry always seems like a proud papa when looking at the ballpark construction. It's obvious that he's every bit as much a ballpark fan as the rest of us, and he's been the lucky one to have final say on pretty much everything in the design of this one.

He recognized me and greeted me warmly, explaining that he was just on his lunch break and it seemed like a good day to wander down this direction for a look. (On what type of day could he resist such temptation, I wondered!)

He mentioned that he can't see the steel work in center field from his office window and was curious (his office view being more or less the same as webcam #1). He also said again how pleased he is with the look of the limestone, something which becomes more and more evident as the Seventh Street facade continues toward completion in the coming months.

"They're trying to get as much enclosed as possible before winter," he explained, and then confirmed that everything is still right on schedule.

It was a brief conversation. We said our goodbyes and then he continued his lunch stroll up Seventh Street to do just what so many of us have done: peer through the fence, get a glimpse of the progress, and dream a little bit.

I headed back to my day, huffing and puffing from the whirlwind tour, but with my head filled once again with baseball dreams.

A special welcome today to new visitors from La Velle E. Neale's blogroll! Glad to have you with us.

I think AP is in there somewhere...

Supports for the little sections in the outfield.

The steel cage expands.

Supports viewed from beneath. These seats will be just a few feet from the outside edge of the building!

Work going on under the steel.

Gate 29 "Carew" is at right.

Sky through steel.

Very interesting detail starting to appear here.

Glass!

Comments

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You caught me. I am one of the three yellow hats on the right. I wondered while I was down there if you would be out getting more photos. It would have been cool to thank you in person for the site.

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 07:14 AM by AP 1

great pics Rick, thanks AP!

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 07:47 AM by mazaratirick 2

do you know if all of the gates will already be named for twins hall of famers?it would be cool if there is a chance a player in twenty years (mauer?) could have his name on a gate without taking one from oliva, hrbek, etc.

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 07:56 AM by annoying customer 3

so they've already designated a twins great with their respective gates. i didn't know that had been done as of yet. thanks for the great info and visuals. centerfield will be carew...is the plaza gate kirby's?

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 08:51 AM by Tim 4

Nice work, Rick. Each morning when I walk by the site, I continue to be impressed by the size and "grandeur" of the Carew entrance. Maybe it's because it's steel and it's gone up so quick...

AP - I am so friggin jealous of you.

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 10:34 AM by OG Jeff 5

I happened upon this site thanks to LEN III, and I couldn't be happier. This is an outstanding site. Keep up the good work and photographic evidence that we are actually going to have a real baseball stadium in 2010.

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 10:34 AM by Q 6

when I was at the multi foods building for the season ticket sales pitch they said that they had a contingency plan if Burt Blyleven gets inducted to the HOF, the Burt Blyleven Honorary Loading Dock. Overall the presentation was very good, and we ended up getting tickets.

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 10:59 AM by brad 7

Awesome pictures Rick! Does anybody know what those things are wrapped in white sitting on the concourses? are they more escalators or what?

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 11:07 AM by Erik 8

As always, thank you for taking pics Rick.

It looks like the glass will be the same color of green/blue as the ballpark model. I can't wait to see the progress over the next few months.

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 12:24 PM by Lafferty 9

Being in the construction business, I would guess that the first layer of concrete is structural then the backfil rather than more concrete to save on money then the second layer is elevate that part of the plaza. But that is just a guess, if they start doing it everywhere else on the plaza then I'm sure I'm wrong

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 1:20 PM by Design/Build Guy 10

@ Design/Build Guy

Spot on.

Crews will be doing the same thing right next to the pro shop, as well.

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 1:53 PM by Lou 11

Awesome pics, Rick! Thanks! I'm jealous of all you guys being able to walk down to the site...and casually bump into Jerry Bell too.

Also, Target unofficially opened it's doors this past Tuesday. The official Grand Opening is this Sunday. So let the money start piling up for enhancements and additions to our OUTDOOR ballpark!

Posted on October 10, 2008 at 3:11 PM by chuck in ak 12

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Explore the Site

Here are 50 images chosen randomly from the 2384 found on this site. Click the image to be taken to the original post. A new list is created every 10 minutes.

Chef stand and menu in the Carew atrium

Fifth Street louvers way up close

Twins president Dave St. Peter presents his list of fan suggestions to the Ballpark Authority

Here's where I was when the alarm went off, and though the siren wasn't terribly loud, at least one guy is plugging his ears.

Upper deck view of the out-of-town scoreboard.

The proposed wooden screen covering the circulation ramp on Fifth Street (at left is the equivalent screen on Seventh Street).

Legend's Club, Section E (Click to enlarge greatly.)

A collection of support pillars for the left field pavilion.

Gate 34 Puckett

Look closely at the overhang. You'll see the on the right it is flush with the fence, and then it sticks out farther and farther as you move toward center. More fun for Michael Cuddyer.

For reference, this is that same area as viewed from the seat locator.

Nuts on Clark (a couple blocks north of Wrigley Field)

Party deck

This is the left field pavilion in the original concept model. The restaurant pictured to its right has been moved, and the seating area has been extended at least one full section toward center.

A timeline of design and construction of the ballpark. (Click to enlarge. Photo by Tyler Wycoff)

Here's a first view of the surprisingly spacious walkway on Fifth between the ballpark and the LRT platform.

"Hey, Ma, it says here we go in at gate 34. Must be all the way around on the other side!" Seriously, though, this is a really inspired idea.

I noticed this detail while taking the previous picture. I figure that it must be the VIP entrance from the surface parking lot. I don't think there is any parking inside the ballpark, so this entrance will likely be for suite-dwellers and other VIPs, though I can't say for sure whether players will enter here.

A little ground's crew action in the first inning the other night.

I do love the upper concourse. Feels like home already.

The splendid view from the roof of the Minikahda building. (Click to enlarge greatly.)

Roll-up metal doors visible at right.

I never think of Ron Jackson at all.

That's some scary-ass scaffolding, if you ask me.

At the corner of the Pro Shop.

Ballpark magic: Infield materializes (click to enlarge)

Locations for ticket machines near the Hrbek outdoor plaza

Looking south (toward Seventh Street).

Here's the current overview from the south side of the B ramp (from which the banner at the top of this page was culled).

A seating bowl comes into focus. Note that the netting has been installed on the foul pole. (Field Box)

The lone light standard and one of those "entry beacons."

The Metrodome hot dog vendor. (Source: RP)

This is a good overview of the spot where the Northstar (bottom) and LRT (top) will intersect.

At left, across the tracks by that pile of dirt is where the Northstar commuter train platform will be built, and where Twins fans will apparently NOT be able to get a train after night games. (For reference, that's the Fifth Street bridge, with the ballpark site just beyond it. The east corner of Ford Centre is just visible at the right edge of the picture.)

Photo by Jeff Ewer (Click to enlarge.)

Florida

A view straight on of the Pro Shop area and ticket windows (just barely visible). The piers you see beneath the plaza are already almost completed (see final photo).