Game Day

Prompted by discussions about what to do with Dodger Stadium parking, Eric the Thread brings conceptual urban development with Dodger Stadium Interactive to explore how a stadium can fit in the "fabric of Downtown."  E likes the idea of the Thom Mayne aided design that reclaims Chavez Ravine as park space. I'll always like the stadium it just where it is.

But this was too tempting not to pass up. Here's my take; Dodger Stadium in the area once known as "The Flats":

A baseball park built just across the Los Angeles River, south of the First Street Bridge, north of the Fourth Street Bridge, alongside Boyle Heights can give LA an urban stadium alongside completed public transportation. This Aliso-Pico Dodgers conceptual park has direct access to three Metro Gold Line stations; the proposed Aliso-Pico station (ya got to call it the Vin Scully station), the Mariachi Plaza station, and the Little Tokyo/Arts District station. North of Little Tokyo/Arts District station on city land could be multiple layers of parking that would also serve Downtown workers–– very much needed as parking continues to be lost by condo development.  Plus, any talk of a stadium means some sort of bond issue; at least part of the cost of a new park can be repaid to a tax base with parking revenue.

The sensitive issue of a displacement of a Latino community (yet again for baseball) will always be a hurdle. And no matter what, traffic will always be a concern that will bring out community concerns, yet, that gives more reason to somehow have the Gold Line be an important part of a proposed park and stadium. And there's many ways for this area to generate revenue, other than trying to create yet another "LA Live" or "Grand Avenue".

As much as many fans and critics now consider "retro-stadiums" as passe, the stadium can still be influenced by the architecture of warehouses and historic bridges. Plus, there is a neighborhood nearby  with a shared timeline that can be part of an aesthetic. The National League was founded in 1876, and  in Los Angeles, a ranch was subdivided for residential development in 1875 was named "Boyle Heights."

And what other project would give a chance for the Los Angeles River to really be looked at as a park space? And not just at the "river bank" but up to the stadium's acreage.

Hmm...we could use a football stadium, maybe near Boyle Heights. Los Angeles Pachucos, anyone?

Comments

[Westchester Pete]

This is very close to what I came up with:
http://tinyurl.com/2fybz3

Note that home plate is normally placed toward the south, so that batters (looking north) don't have the sun in their eyes. Plus it would afford a nice view of the San Gabriels to all but the outfield-bleacher fans.