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Tour Photos, Part Two

November 5, 2008 11:23 PM

COMMENT

This article contains corrected information about the entrances to the Pro Shop.

Here are a few more miscellaneous shots from the Terrace Level, then we'll start working our way down.

I don't exactly know what this is. A first-aid station? Concession office?

This is a closer look at the steel work.

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

This is the Suite Level. There are multiple suites between each pillar, and there will be seating on the area in front of the suites which currently looks like it could be a walkway.

This isn't a very good picture, but it is the current view of the inside of a suite.

This is the Metropolitan Club as viewed from the future Ballpark Authority office space.

This is the Seventh Street circulation ramp. Note that the floor is covered with plywood to protect it during construction. Not all construction firms are as careful with this type of protection as Mortenson.

This is the main entry to the Pro Shop. The second entry, located just outside the turnstiles, is indicated by the arrow.

Dan provided me with lots of useful information. I asked about the Pro Shop entrances, and the location decisions were cleared up and sounded rational.

Dan Kenney, my tour guide

Basically, the original design used the Pro Shop as much more of a welcoming element, but its role was reduced once the plaza was expanded, and Gate 3 was likewise broadened. Now, the gate itself serves as the welcoming spot, allowing the Pro Shop to minimize the number of entry points.

It makes sense, though I think I still would have put that outside entrance in a more prominent location -- say on the downtown end.

But that brings us to the discussion of the pedestrian experience on Seventh Street. He had seen my concerns from the earlier entry and cleared up a few things.

First, the sidewalk on that side will be widened considerably once the fence comes down. This alone will improve pedestrian safety. But there will be some parking bays installed along this strip for people picking up tickets. In addition to providing a buffer, the presence of such bays serves as a traffic calming mechanism. Drivers tend to slow down as they pass parked cars.

But the big philosophical point has to do with pedestrian flow around the ballpark. When you think about it, there will likely be very little ballpark-related foot traffic in the area where I took Noah's photo. People parking in the ramps will walk to the plaza and enter the concourse there. People who park to the north will enter at Gate 6 "Oliva" rather than walk down the Seventh Street sidewalk.

The lone exception is that there will be a secure staff entrance at the base of the circulation ramp (which I originally thought would be an additional exit after games). That's about mid-way between the Pro Shop and the "Oliva" gate.

But one way or another, the likelihood of less foot traffic along Seventh Street means that the problem is not as severe as it first appears.

One thing to remember is that the team has the right to build on the other side of Seventh Street. A building on that side would necessitate a sidewalk where there is not one now, and that changes everything.

Also, up the street there will be improvements along the HERC site, potentially including some public art up where Fifth and Seventh split.

Here's the view from the main concourse out through Gate 3 "Killebrew".

More touring yet to come...

Comments

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thanks rick. great pics and as always, the info is top notch.

you mentioned that "up the street there will be improvements along the HERC site". by improvements do you mean they are going to "tear it down a.s.a.p"?! a guy can dream right?! :-)

seriously though rick. what do you think the % chances are that the HERC facility gets shut down (moved elsewhere, whatever) say within say 2-3 years of the park opening to make way for more financially benefical development? this is of course assuming the overall economic & real estate markets improve, which i believe they will.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 12:26 AM by Betaband 1

Rick, you're spoiling us!

But I like it.

So with Gate 3, where are the turnstiles going to be? Are they right there in that area of the last pic you posted? I've been wondering if the Pro Shop entrance is going to be inside or outside the turnstiles. Will it be open in the off season and during away games, etc. or just during home games?

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 01:49 AM by chuck in ak 2

Fantastical!

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 06:31 AM by mazaratirick 3

Thank God and Rick for this website!
-Orlando trapped Twins Fan

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 08:53 AM by Joe 4

I would put the odds of a HERC teardown in 2-3 years at 0%.

It'll come down eventually, but these things take time.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 10:03 AM by Alex B. 5

Awesome Rick! Your posts have really been extra informative lately...great work.

The Pro Shop entrance decision is absolutely terrible. I know it's only my opinion, but this is by far the worst decision made with this ballpark so far. Will it not be open during non-game days?! Someone is literally throwing away with this call.

It's good that they're going to widen sidewalks on 7th Street... I would love it if the city moves forward with the proposed idea of putting brick in the streets around the park - this would also slow traffic down. (I live on an original brick street in the North Loop, and you can't go too fast without it getting hard on your car)

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 10:16 AM by OG Jeff 6

They need to do something similar to the Fan Zone at Miller Park. Allow people to come into the stadium on non-gamedays (and year-round) and walk through the shop and buy stuff.

On game days, you must have a ticket to get into the stadium, and thus, get into the pro shop.

I also like the fact you can get into TGI Fridays year-round at Miller Park.

It's the Twins' loss by not allowing access to the Pro Shop on non-gamedays, as that appears to be the case.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 12:38 PM by Mike Brumley 7

That's so odd that Miller Park would put in a TGI Friday's. Going to the ballpark should be a unique experience-- TGI Friday's puts it on the same page in my book as a strip mall or an airport. I'm not sure it would be a very big draw when there is no game happening. Here's to hoping that Murray's steak sandwich comes to fruition and not an applebee's out in left field...

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 1:04 PM by mplsgreg 8

not having a pro shop entrance for non-game day/non-ticket carrying fans has to be one of the worst decisions made while building this new park. talk about missing business 101 class! come on twins braintrust! what are you thinking?!

dan kenney - sounds like you read twinsballpark2010 from time to time. i hope you are reading this lastest blog post from rick as well along with the fan comments bemoaning the lack of a non-game day/non-ticket carrying entrace for the the pro shop. bad, bad move. you are just throwing extra merch sales right out the window. makes no sense at all dan!

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 1:36 PM by Betaband 9

Dan just wrote to me after confirming that there is a second entrance to the Pro Shop, right outside of the turnstiles. It's very hard to see in the photo above (and in any of the photos I took that day), but it's about where a trash can is seen.

I'm trying to find a better image, but there was a piece of equipment sitting right in front of it while we were touring...

And by the way, the team is responsible for this type of decision. The Ballpark Authority is charged with implementing the design which the team creates together with the architects.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 1:41 PM by Rick 10

Here's the best I can find, but you can see that it's clearly there.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 1:44 PM by Rick 11

Mplsgreg,

I say this with all due respect but for the dump that Miller Park is there are only 3 good things about it.. the parking lot for tailgating !!!!!! that was for u OG! lol, the bernie slide deal, although it sucks that he dont go into beer anymore (i have toured the brewery in mil that has the old one they let u slide down it after a free beer!) and TGI friday...

Its kind of a fun thing and the drink and food is normal prices.. say cheese sticks for 7 bucks same as at a regular tgi fridays.. and you can see the field which i think is awsome growing up in the dome.. (i mean has anyone on this site ever been to the rally room @ the dome?) and its cool for regulars that dont have season tickets... i dont think TF will have this....

so just a fyi so some can make fun of me 2marrow im heading to Milwakee for a wedding and i plan at some point to stop by miller park to eat @ Fridays.. not cuz i think its a awsome ballpark , but cuz it is a ballpark and im gonna eat lunch with my family over looking the playing field all for about 20 bucks! its either that or george webbs.. and it cost the same and i think most here can apprecate that a ballpark dork like me would rather do the ballpark...
I can take pictures if you like greg.. j/k

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 2:06 PM by mazaratirick 12

just to add to my last post.... Fridays is good for them... not TF so i do not want one here... and I would love some murray's at the ballpark...

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 2:20 PM by mazaratirick 13

I've modified the text of the article above to reflect the new info on the second entrance to the Pro Shop. I also placed a red arrow on the photo to give an indication of where it is.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 2:33 PM by Rick 14

mazarati, i am always game for photos. lets see the view that makes tgi friday's at miller park extra special. TGI Friday's isn't horrible food, it's just not unique. I like to use incredibly exaggerated analogies when I post so let's see... putting TGI's in TF would be the equivalent of opening a Hardee's in a Four Seasons hotel?

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 4:22 PM by mplsgreg 15

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 4:22 PM by mplsgreg 16

All this talk about a 2nd entrance into the pro shop and a TGI Friday's at Miller Park has me clamoring for more pics of Rick's trip to Yankee stadium. JUST KIDDING!! I love all the speculation. Most of all, I love the new pics. WOW...awesome. On a lighter note, I love the shot of the shitstack on the top of the blog now. I guess I better get used to it. It will be shown 100s of times throughout broadcasts of games, and it will be that big sore thumb when I'm at games.
The pic of Dan Kenney is hilarious. Does anyone else think this guy was made for Hollywood? Look out Tom Cruise! You're a natural Dan.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 5:30 PM by Locker 17

If the Twins decide on putting a commercial restaurant in Target Field. I wouldn't mind a Buffalo Wild Wings. Its a Minnesota Company, good atmosphere, and good food. The Twins could even have their own wing sauce. I think it would fit in very nicely with the ballpark.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 6:38 PM by Jeff 18

I've been to Cleveland and Detriot. They both have outside intros. You got to have one.
Thanks for the pics

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 8:08 PM by Dave 19

I drove by TF tonight and regarding the shitstack, at least it looks somewhat better at night time when most of the games will be played.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 10:49 PM by Matt 20

We have TGI Fridays at Chase Field....Blah blah...you can go to your local suburban maze for that kind of crap. The restaurant should be one-of-a-kind local to the MN area. Now if someone there can talk old Red Savoy into opening up a pizza stand somewhere in the ballpark, I'll move back to MN for that. Nobody down here can make pizza for shit. Speaking of shit, yes, I love the shitstack picure above...The leaning tower of shit...Yes Matt, it will look better at night since we won't be able to see how ugly it is.

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 11:38 PM by kevin in az 21

Yes, Dan Kenney, you look kind of like I do. Too many hours of Alan Parsons blaring through the headphones during the 70s!!!

Posted on November 6, 2008 at 11:39 PM by kevin in az 22

They are going to have the "Town Ball Tavern" in Left Field corner, right? At least that's what the relocation guide said.

Posted on November 7, 2008 at 08:53 AM by OG Jeff 23

Rick

The first photo if I am not mistaken is the canopy roof framing for the vestibule where the elevator tower is located. Due to code they have to condition that space right outside of the elevator.

Thanks for all the photos. I was able to take a tour a couple of weeks ago and was very excited to get to see the first tree column go up on the Terrace Concourse Level. It was the first time I was able to see the project in person.

Thanks again

Posted on November 7, 2008 at 11:00 AM by kruu 24

Rick, you should try posting some pictures on wikipedia or ballparksofbaseball.com

Posted on November 7, 2008 at 10:30 PM by Craig Buck- Plymouth 25

honestly - his pics are better than the webcams on the Twins homepage.
Great job as always.

Posted on November 8, 2008 at 10:12 AM by Luke 26

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"You talk about the magic, the aura, but what really makes a stadium is the fans. Concrete doesn't talk back to you. Chairs don't talk back to you. It's the people who are there, day in, day out, that makes the place magic."

– Bernie Williams

Explore the Site

Here are 50 images chosen randomly from the 3004 found on this site. Click the image to be taken to the original post. A new list is created every 10 minutes.

Perched welder on the top of the canopy.

Limestone will cover this pretty soon, but for now you can see where the escalator is.

Once again, Noah is holding his ears because of the traffic noise.

The Puckett Atrium

Signature trees?

We'll be packed into the first five rows of section 136. Hey, Wilson! I'm bringing my glove!

Work beneath the scoreboard

Speakers spaced evenly among the lights

New Year's Eve, 2008

Opening day, 2010

Not much facade left to be finished at this point.

Gate 29 Carew

The sign reads, "Mortenson Radio Channels".

Lots of work has gone into detailing the fronts of these decks. That is a little thing, but a NICE little thing. (HRP View)

Lots of folks working behind those ticket windows

Directly above the ceiling here is the hidden concourse which served the upper deck prior to the renovation. That concourse was closed off to the public, but became a service level for ballpark employees. It's one of the many quirks which will be lost when the wrecking ball takes the place away.

Serious home dugout work in progress.

This is the Carew gate covered in plastic.

No arches. No brick. No girders. Classic.

The outfield stands as viewed through the unnumbered gate

Viewed from another angle, you can see that the bullpens now sit beneath the upper deck outfield seating.

Hey! That limestone looks familiar!

This view clearly shows the curve in the left field stands and the relationship of the first row with the playing field (no overhang to speak of in left).