Warehouse District Ballpark Site

5th Street North and 3rd Avenue North, Minneapolis

There are a lot of great things about this concept. The location is terrific, with a great view of the city. Lots of freeways and parking nearby -- it's even on the skyway system. The light rail line will touch the northern edge of this site, and a commuter rail line will touch the west edge (where a freight line currently runs). The warehouse district is full of cool old buildings, and could be the perfect place for a nice small ballpark.

But there's not much eating around there, and not a sports bar anywhere to be found. Maybe such things would spring up. After all, it wouldn't suffer the same curse of surface parking lots which plagues the Metrodome. Still, it seems a bit presumptuous to assume that life will simply spring into being just because the park is there.

If this plan has any chance of coming into being, it is only a very slim chance. Still, it was enough for me to go out and take a few photos of the site. Maybe these will one day be the before photos. Who knows...

Light rail and heavy rail intersect at the site.

This park would be well-served by the Target Center infrastructure.

A cozy site, to be sure, but definitely sufficient.

I think these are a little out of scale, but you get the idea.

My Photos of the Site

An overview of the site, taken from nearby Ford Centre.

This view of the skyline would be right down the first base line.

A view from about where the plate might be, looking toward center field.

Looking in from what would be center field, toward the plate.

The commuter rail would approach the park from here, stopping just beyond the bridge.
Light rail would cross on the bridge, which would touch the back of the left field stands.

A Panoramic View

(click on thumbnails for larger image)

The Model

This model was displayed at TwinsFest 2004. It is not a site-specific model, and would certainly have to be modified somewhat to fit the Rapid Park site. But it does give an idea of what the Twins (and evil HOK) have in mind. I have to say, it looks a little bit cookie-cutterish to me...

An overview

Exterior on the left field (5th Avenue) side

The roof, fully retracted (Minneapolis garbage incinerator would be where those trees are)

Exterior on the first base (7th Avenue) side

Plaza out beyond the right field wall

Left field bleachers (would apparently be underneath the roof track)

Center field bleachers (wouldn't it be great if those were closer to field level?)