At least two of the Cordish developments in the Balto/Wash area have big book stores, like Barnes & Noble, a big variety of restaurants, etc. Very colorful and fun. At Power Plant Live in Baltimore, they have a music venue where I recently saw Elvis Costello (same tour that brought him to the Pageant). Everyone around here gets excited when they hear Cordish is involved.
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I like there project in KC (The power & Light District.) I hope they come out with there plans soon.
I really don't see the big deal about ESPN zone. It's nothing really special, to be honest with you, but whatever will be will be.
Good deal. The Rams are working with developers of Bottle District/Libeskind and now the Cardinals are working with Cordish.
Maybe Cordish will nab a distinguished architect like the Bottle District.
Maybe Cordish will nab a distinguished architect like the Bottle District.
I was browsing Cordish' website and saw they did Bayou Place in Houston. Being very familiar with the Houston area, Bayou Place has sparked lots of development adjacent to the property.
Bayou Place itself is a great place to hang out for concerts, dining, movies, etc. I've done it all there. It's an old convention center turned entertainment venue. It sits in the heart of Houston's Theater District and is what I believe the anchor for entertainment in downtown Houston.
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Link: The Cordish Company
Bayou Place itself is a great place to hang out for concerts, dining, movies, etc. I've done it all there. It's an old convention center turned entertainment venue. It sits in the heart of Houston's Theater District and is what I believe the anchor for entertainment in downtown Houston.
Link: The Cordish Company
This is awesome.
Now perhaps there will be more to keep these county refugees within the city after games at the Dome and the new Busch Stadium.
Here is more from the Post-Dispatch:
Developer will create entertainment district around new stadium
By Jake Wagman
Of the Post-Dispatch
06/02/2005
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocument
The Cardinals announced today a double-play partner the team hopes will bring people to their new ballpark even when baseball is not in session.
The Cordish Co. ? a Baltimore developer known for building flashy pubs and lavish nightclubs ? will help create one of their trademark entertainment districts around the new Busch Stadium.
Their pitch here is an attraction ? built on the soon-to-be rubble of the current Busch Stadium -- that will eventually rival Laclede?s Landing and the Delmar Loop as a place to eat, drink, shop and live.
Cordish?s specialty is reviving struggling urban areas with bars, shops and offices anchored by a theme restaurant. In Houston, a vacant convention center became Bayou Place with the help of a Hard Rock Caf? and a 2,800 seat musical theater. A hulking brick edifice in Baltimore that was once a power plant is now The Power Plant, featuring lofts and a giant sports bar.
In Missouri, Cordish is working on Kansas City Live!, an $850 million project taking up seven blocks downtown.
Cordish?s plan for St. Louis already comes with a catchy name ? Ballpark Village ? and little else. The idea emerged along with discussions to build a new stadium, but until Thursday the team provided few concrete details about what it would look like or how it would be built.
Ballpark Village is also a key reason the city agreed to give the Cardinals tax incentives to stay downtown. If Ballpark Village is not finished on schedule, the team will have to pay a penalty equal to the taxes that would have been generated by the project. Construction of the area will be done in phases and take years to complete.
Now perhaps there will be more to keep these county refugees within the city after games at the Dome and the new Busch Stadium.
Here is more from the Post-Dispatch:
Developer will create entertainment district around new stadium
By Jake Wagman
Of the Post-Dispatch
06/02/2005
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocument
The Cardinals announced today a double-play partner the team hopes will bring people to their new ballpark even when baseball is not in session.
The Cordish Co. ? a Baltimore developer known for building flashy pubs and lavish nightclubs ? will help create one of their trademark entertainment districts around the new Busch Stadium.
Their pitch here is an attraction ? built on the soon-to-be rubble of the current Busch Stadium -- that will eventually rival Laclede?s Landing and the Delmar Loop as a place to eat, drink, shop and live.
Cordish?s specialty is reviving struggling urban areas with bars, shops and offices anchored by a theme restaurant. In Houston, a vacant convention center became Bayou Place with the help of a Hard Rock Caf? and a 2,800 seat musical theater. A hulking brick edifice in Baltimore that was once a power plant is now The Power Plant, featuring lofts and a giant sports bar.
In Missouri, Cordish is working on Kansas City Live!, an $850 million project taking up seven blocks downtown.
Cordish?s plan for St. Louis already comes with a catchy name ? Ballpark Village ? and little else. The idea emerged along with discussions to build a new stadium, but until Thursday the team provided few concrete details about what it would look like or how it would be built.
Ballpark Village is also a key reason the city agreed to give the Cardinals tax incentives to stay downtown. If Ballpark Village is not finished on schedule, the team will have to pay a penalty equal to the taxes that would have been generated by the project. Construction of the area will be done in phases and take years to complete.
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Hey does anyone have any information on the Kansas City Live project mentioned above. I've never heard of it, but it seems rather substantial. 850 Million dollars?!
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does dt have the market to support the Ballpark Village, Bottle District, Laclede's Landing, and Union Station at the same time or will we see competition amongst these areas? My first thought was Cordish wouldn't go in if they didn't think they had a market, but my second thought is they might thinking of cannibalizing the weaker retail areas (such as Union Station). Thoughts?
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If all these developments include residential (and I belive they all do) then I don't see why there would be a lack of demand. They all have their signature "draws" - the ballpark for the village .. conventions for the bottle district .. gambling for the landing. Supplement that with an increased residential base ... why wouldn;t it work?
..
Man. DT could really be something special in four - five years. Can you imagine a final four with all of these districts fully built?
..
Man. DT could really be something special in four - five years. Can you imagine a final four with all of these districts fully built?
I think Cero has a point. If downtown cannot currently support one tourist-oriented venue (Union Station), how can it manage to support 3 to 4? True, the Bottle District, Ballpark Village, and the casino on the landing would be brining new or improved restaurants, attractions, and venues that might draw larger crowds. Additionally, the Dome and the new Busch Stadium will be much closer to the new venues than either were to Union Station. For these reasons, I think the Bottle District and Ballpark Village have a great chance to succeed if the projects go forward, though the Bottle District folks should be worried about being too dependent on an ever shrinking number of national conferences.
Union Station does have the Blues if and when the NHL starts running again. However, you must wonder about the long-term viability of Union Station as the main tourist trap for downtown. Union Station is a great place, but it has always been far from the convention center, dome, or Busch. Certainly, people go to Union Station before and after sporting events and conventioneers/ tourists? head over to check out the station, but it is far from the core of downtown. With the addition of TBV, TBD, and the landing, I think that it would be wise for Union Station to move away from a business model that seems so dependent on tourists. It is astute that the new owners of the station are thinking about adding residential development, because I don?t believe Union Station can succeed in the long run as it is today.
On another note, with all its surface parking and large space, it might be a great location if downtown ever wanted to lure major big box retailers such as best buy or target.
Union Station does have the Blues if and when the NHL starts running again. However, you must wonder about the long-term viability of Union Station as the main tourist trap for downtown. Union Station is a great place, but it has always been far from the convention center, dome, or Busch. Certainly, people go to Union Station before and after sporting events and conventioneers/ tourists? head over to check out the station, but it is far from the core of downtown. With the addition of TBV, TBD, and the landing, I think that it would be wise for Union Station to move away from a business model that seems so dependent on tourists. It is astute that the new owners of the station are thinking about adding residential development, because I don?t believe Union Station can succeed in the long run as it is today.
On another note, with all its surface parking and large space, it might be a great location if downtown ever wanted to lure major big box retailers such as best buy or target.
I think US is an oudated animal, built for a different time (though only 20 years old) I think that US might end up having to be totally "reinvented" if it is going to survive. It would be nice to have the trains running in there again, but I don't think that will happen. Having Cordish on board is a good thing, as they seem to have a lot of success with this type of thing. But it will be interesting to see how things shake out across downtown.
I know that when Wash Ave started taking off about 10 years ago, the original "edgey" crowd that started the first clubs was kind of (not totally) squeezed out but the migration of mainstream clubs that brought a bit of the Landing crowd down there (the landing use to contain some pretty decent bars in the early 90's before seemingly going all tourist in the mid-90's). This is when the Landing was still trying to recover from the baseball strike of 94. There was some talk at the time that the Landing was in "steep decline" at that Wash Ave. was the new "Landing". Things panned out when each area established itself as a different "brand". Potentially the same thing would happen with different areas of downtown taking on unique "flavors" actually this is already happening.
I know that when Wash Ave started taking off about 10 years ago, the original "edgey" crowd that started the first clubs was kind of (not totally) squeezed out but the migration of mainstream clubs that brought a bit of the Landing crowd down there (the landing use to contain some pretty decent bars in the early 90's before seemingly going all tourist in the mid-90's). This is when the Landing was still trying to recover from the baseball strike of 94. There was some talk at the time that the Landing was in "steep decline" at that Wash Ave. was the new "Landing". Things panned out when each area established itself as a different "brand". Potentially the same thing would happen with different areas of downtown taking on unique "flavors" actually this is already happening.
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^ i agree with both above posts. I'm sure these newer developments will succeed, while some of these older areas are going to have to evolve if they don't want to crash. Into what they should evolve, i guess we'll have to wait and see. Someone mentioned on another forum that they thought the landing would probably become into more of a neighborhood area, seeing as there seems to be a lot of interest in bringing more residential to that area i agree (even though i'm sure it will keep a good part of the "destination" pizzazz because of the casino and its historic charm). Union Station is a tougher situation (although i have an idea i'll post in a more appropriate thread, so as to not hijack this one )
I also agree with Mark's take that increasing population dt should help all of these areas regardless, and hopefully Cordish will mix in a nice residential component.
)I also agree with Mark's take that increasing population dt should help all of these areas regardless, and hopefully Cordish will mix in a nice residential component.
It's all about perception. Downtown has been dead for the last 15-20 years. US is nothing in comparison to what these areas will be, and that's not even mentioning it's really in a bad location. They've already done their homework I'm sure. You have to get people back to the city to make all this work, and I have to say by walking around the last couple of weeks the vibes are amazing. Wash Ave is really expanding over into locust and other streets. It takes the people first then then the businesses will be fighting for office space, and that's when you will see downtown take off. You will have residential elements around these areas which will create that urban vibe the city lacks at the moment. I have to say I was skeptical at first, but I've seen a couple articles lately in the New York papers even. This looks like what we've been waiting for is finally starting to happen. The schools are another hurdle, but bring the empty nesters and professionals in first, and then you can work on the school problems with all the increased revs from the tax base etc. It goes beyond finances though, but everything can be dealt with.
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Cardinals want village where fans can eat, drink, shop, live
By Jake Wagman
Of the Post-Dispatch
06/02/2005
Picture a Cardinals Hall of Fame museum flanked by a comedy club and a steak house. An art gallery wedged between offices and condos overlooking left field. A pub so close to the stadium's gates that the crowd's roar shakes the bar stools.
Hoping to bring those visions to life, the Cardinals on Thursday announced a partnership designed to attract people to their new ballpark for more than just baseball.
Cordish Co. of Baltimore has been tapped to create one of its trademark entertainment districts around the new Busch Stadium.
Its pitch here is an attraction - built on the soon-to-be rubble of the current Busch Stadium - that eventually will rival Laclede's Landing and the Delmar Loop as a place to eat, drink, shop and live.
"This is going to be one the largest developments in the Midwest," said Blake Cordish, the firm's vice president.
The firm's specialty is reviving struggling urban areas with bars, shops and offices anchored by a theme restaurant. In Houston, a vacant convention center became Bayou Place with the help of a Hard Rock Cafe and a 2,800-seat musical theater. A hulking brick edifice in Baltimore that once was a power plant is now the Power Plant, featuring loft offices and a giant sports bar, the ESPN Zone.
In Missouri, Cordish is working on the Power and Light District in Kansas City, an entertainment area near the city's planned new downtown arena.
Cordish's plan for St. Louis already comes with a catchy name - Ballpark Village - but little else beyond the conceptual. A Cardinals museum seems to be the only near certainty for the development.
Cordish said Ballpark Village will be a bit softer on the flashy bars and nightclubs than the company's other projects. Here, the firm will focus more on creating a "neighborhood."
"The idea of living in a place where you could look out the window at home plate is pretty thrilling," Cordish said.
Ballpark Village is also a key reason the city agreed to give the Cardinals tax incentives to stay downtown. The Cardinals are obligated to finish one block of the development by 2009. If the entire Ballpark Village isn't complete by 2011, the team could owe up to $3 million a year in penalties.
The area won't be ready by the time the new Busch opens, set for Opening Day next year. Cardinals Vice President Bill DeWitt said groundbreaking won't be until later in 2006. The team owns the 12-acre site targeted for Ballpark village; Cordish and the Cardinals will be equal partners in developing the area.
It's fitting that a company based in Baltimore - where Cordish has also done its flagship developments - has been tapped to create a Ballpark Village. The Cardinals' new home is the latest in a series of throwback stadiums inspired by the retro design of Camden Yards, built for the Orioles in 1992.
Cordish, a family-run company, plays many positions on the business field; affiliates include a law firm, an independent film distributor and an equity investment fund.
Reporter Jake Wagman
E-mail: jwagman@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-622-3580
By Jake Wagman
Of the Post-Dispatch
06/02/2005
Picture a Cardinals Hall of Fame museum flanked by a comedy club and a steak house. An art gallery wedged between offices and condos overlooking left field. A pub so close to the stadium's gates that the crowd's roar shakes the bar stools.
Hoping to bring those visions to life, the Cardinals on Thursday announced a partnership designed to attract people to their new ballpark for more than just baseball.
Cordish Co. of Baltimore has been tapped to create one of its trademark entertainment districts around the new Busch Stadium.
Its pitch here is an attraction - built on the soon-to-be rubble of the current Busch Stadium - that eventually will rival Laclede's Landing and the Delmar Loop as a place to eat, drink, shop and live.
"This is going to be one the largest developments in the Midwest," said Blake Cordish, the firm's vice president.
The firm's specialty is reviving struggling urban areas with bars, shops and offices anchored by a theme restaurant. In Houston, a vacant convention center became Bayou Place with the help of a Hard Rock Cafe and a 2,800-seat musical theater. A hulking brick edifice in Baltimore that once was a power plant is now the Power Plant, featuring loft offices and a giant sports bar, the ESPN Zone.
In Missouri, Cordish is working on the Power and Light District in Kansas City, an entertainment area near the city's planned new downtown arena.
Cordish's plan for St. Louis already comes with a catchy name - Ballpark Village - but little else beyond the conceptual. A Cardinals museum seems to be the only near certainty for the development.
Cordish said Ballpark Village will be a bit softer on the flashy bars and nightclubs than the company's other projects. Here, the firm will focus more on creating a "neighborhood."
"The idea of living in a place where you could look out the window at home plate is pretty thrilling," Cordish said.
Ballpark Village is also a key reason the city agreed to give the Cardinals tax incentives to stay downtown. The Cardinals are obligated to finish one block of the development by 2009. If the entire Ballpark Village isn't complete by 2011, the team could owe up to $3 million a year in penalties.
The area won't be ready by the time the new Busch opens, set for Opening Day next year. Cardinals Vice President Bill DeWitt said groundbreaking won't be until later in 2006. The team owns the 12-acre site targeted for Ballpark village; Cordish and the Cardinals will be equal partners in developing the area.
It's fitting that a company based in Baltimore - where Cordish has also done its flagship developments - has been tapped to create a Ballpark Village. The Cardinals' new home is the latest in a series of throwback stadiums inspired by the retro design of Camden Yards, built for the Orioles in 1992.
Cordish, a family-run company, plays many positions on the business field; affiliates include a law firm, an independent film distributor and an equity investment fund.
Reporter Jake Wagman
E-mail: jwagman@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-622-3580
In today's Baltimore Sun, www.baltimoresun.com in the business section, there is a nice article about Cordish being chosen for the Ballpark Village project. They note that Cordish was chosen from 40 developers. It is a source of pride to Cordish and to Baltimore that St. Louis chose them. If 40 developers were interested, it sounds like everybody wants a piece of downtown St. Louis. I am glad to read they are emphasizing mixed used and not just flashy bars.
I have had the same concern as previous posters that multiple new entertainment districts and existing districts would cause a shake out. Leaving some empty. I am crossing my fingers. But on the positive side, you could say they are creating one huge entertainment district surrounding the Arch. One will be able to walk a few blocks from the Arch in any direction and be entertained. Good news for the convention & tourism industry. They all claim to be adding housing, which I think is a stabilizing influence not seen before in the old districts, such as Laclede's & Union Station. Baltimore has multiple entertainment districts near each other and together they create a dynamic energy. They are forced to compete and stay one step ahead. They must constantly reinvent. Not a bad thing. Lets hope they have some great ideas for taking Union Station in a completely new direction. I would like to see it become more of neighborhood center with some tourist overflow. Tourist don't get tired of seeing that grand building! But with Downtown West turning residential, there is opportunity to for Union Station.
Wow. Thanks for the heads up. The article was informative. It is reporting the project has ballooned to an expected $450-million or more.Expat wrote:In today's Baltimore Sun, www.baltimoresun.com in the business section, there is a nice article about Cordish being chosen for the Ballpark Village project. They note that Cordish was chosen from 40 developers. It is a source of pride to Cordish and to Baltimore that St. Louis chose them. If 40 developers were interested, it sounds like everybody wants a piece of downtown St. Louis. I am glad to read they are emphasizing mixed used and not just flashy bars.
Baltimore Sun: Cordish wins St. Louis job
The thought about Union Station needing to be reinvented is on the mark. Mayor Slay learned about plans to do this when in Vegas last week. The owners/managers evidently have some very agressive plans that include the possibility of residential.
St. Louis will probably start to see an increase in real population by attracting more residents moving in from other places.
Add to this the numbers of locals moving back into the city and current residents that will change their perception and return to DT for entertainment.
And then there are the tourists and conventioneers whose numbers will likely increase as these developments are completed. Right now, Memphis is a better choice for a conference or convention because of the DT entertainment.
St. Louis will probably start to see an increase in real population by attracting more residents moving in from other places.
Add to this the numbers of locals moving back into the city and current residents that will change their perception and return to DT for entertainment.
And then there are the tourists and conventioneers whose numbers will likely increase as these developments are completed. Right now, Memphis is a better choice for a conference or convention because of the DT entertainment.
I actually think multiple entertainment places is GREAT! Have you people gone mad?
Think about it: the reason Union Station suffers as a popular destination among St Louisans is because once you go there, and you're done, you go home. It's just one place! Now people will be encouraged to hop around, get a taste of all of them. They will have more things to get out of the "time investment"
it takes people to drive downtown. You will be able to go to multiple spots in the city and spend hours, as opposed to maybe one hour. Imagine going to Union Station, having dinner, and walking out on that north entrance and heading toward the action.
Now, you can go to a restaurant, and a few bars.
Imagine being able to stretch that out with many more activities!
It will be great. And when you add the increased residential for pretty much every new entertainment area, we have ourselves a potential "alive" downtown.
By the way, I've always felt that if anything will convince some people to live downtown, if there's anything St Louisans love... It's BASEBALL. Can you imagine how much people will pay for a condo that has a view into the ballpark?
Think about it: the reason Union Station suffers as a popular destination among St Louisans is because once you go there, and you're done, you go home. It's just one place! Now people will be encouraged to hop around, get a taste of all of them. They will have more things to get out of the "time investment"
it takes people to drive downtown. You will be able to go to multiple spots in the city and spend hours, as opposed to maybe one hour. Imagine going to Union Station, having dinner, and walking out on that north entrance and heading toward the action.Now, you can go to a restaurant, and a few bars.
Imagine being able to stretch that out with many more activities!
It will be great. And when you add the increased residential for pretty much every new entertainment area, we have ourselves a potential "alive" downtown.
By the way, I've always felt that if anything will convince some people to live downtown, if there's anything St Louisans love... It's BASEBALL. Can you imagine how much people will pay for a condo that has a view into the ballpark?
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New Condos overlooking Busch Stadium(new) will be in a sellers market. Downtown San Diego which was doing fine before the new ballpark has seen a lot of new development around the ballpark site. Downtown San Diego saw a lot of the same neglect as our downtown in the 1970s. Today it is vibrant and full of new condo towers as well as retaining its older Victorian buildings.
The following link is to a condo overlooking Petco Park outfield:
Check Out These Prices
It's interesting to note at the bottom of the page that they have the downtown broken out into neighborhoods, can we be far off?
The following link is to a condo overlooking Petco Park outfield:
Check Out These Prices
It's interesting to note at the bottom of the page that they have the downtown broken out into neighborhoods, can we be far off?
Multiple destinations will make the market work better. They call this the "thickness" of the market. The more choices, the thicker the market is. This could be more resiliency through slow times, competition for jobs contributing to increasing wages, more job choices, etc...
stlmike wrote:I actually think multiple entertainment places is GREAT! Have you people gone mad?
Think about it: the reason Union Station suffers as a popular destination among St Louisans is because once you go there, and you're done, you go home. It's just one place! Now people will be encouraged to hop around, get a taste of all of them. They will have more things to get out of the "time investment"
Now, you can go to a restaurant, and a few bars.
Imagine being able to stretch that out with many more activities!
It will be great. And when you add the increased residential for pretty much every new entertainment area, we have ourselves a potential "alive" downtown.
By the way, I've always felt that if anything will convince some people to live downtown, if there's anything St Louisans love... It's BASEBALL. Can you imagine how much people will pay for a condo that has a view into the ballpark?
These are great points, Mike.
I was joining in in the thinking that this might spread people too thin for Union Station to hang on (with both the Bottle District and Ballpark Village being the newer, "shinier" destinations).
But you may be right; perhaps families coming in for a weekend day game at the new Busch might decide to make rounds of it.. or even stay a night in the city?
Involving residential areas in all of these projects is key, and all three of them appear to have that in hand.
Multiple destinations will make the market work better. They call this the "thickness" of the market. The more choices, the thicker the market is. This could be more resiliency through slow times, competition for jobs contributing to increasing wages, more job choices, etc...
While this is true Matt, I am not sure that the thickness of the market will make much of a difference for Union Station, which truly will be at a competitive disadvantage too these new developments. Moreover, I would still worry about being overly dependent on convention businesses. The number of conventions fall national every year. St. Louis may be working to attract more of what is an ever an ever shrinking pie, which is hardly a sure thing.
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06/03/2005 12:15 AM ET
'Ballpark Village' developer hired
Cordish Company plans mixed-use development for new park
By Stephen A. Norris / MLB.com
? Photo gallery of the new proposal
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/ph ... 73059.html
ST. LOUIS --- The Cardinals are on the verge of undertaking a task no one else in baseball has yet to, but it has nothing to do with the players.
On Thursday the organization announced that it has hired a developer for the new "Ballpark Village," a $300-million mixed-use development. The project promises to blend restaurants, entertainment venues, residential units and office spaces all with a unique flavor that is strictly St. Louis.
"Regarding some other teams that have done projects with new ballparks, I really think this is a unique site," said Bill DeWitt III, senior vice president for business development.
The Cordish Company will be taking on the project. The company is considered the largest and most successful developer of entertainment districts and concepts in the country. They have won six Urban Land Institute Awards of excellence, the highest honor given in the real estate industry. They have developed similar venues in Baltimore, Charleston, S.C. and Louisville, Ky., and they are currently molding the massive, 450,000-square-foot Kansas City Power and Light District across the state.
The Cardinals are currently contractually obligated to spend $60 million of an estimated $300 million on Ballpark Village.
Ballpark Village will be located on the north side of Clark Street, spill into the land occupying the current Busch Stadium and will be bordered by Market and 8th Streets. Because of its location, construction will have to wait until the stadium is demolished -- three weeks after the season -- and the debris is cleaned up. Bill DeWitt Jr., the Cardinals' chairman of the board and general partner, said construction likely wouldn't begin until fall of 2006 and broken down into separate phases. He envisions the village as creating a buzz in the city not restricted to game nights.
"(Similar sites) I have been to had a lot of activity on non-game nights," DeWitt Jr. said. "A lot of restaurants, a lot of shows. In Louisville's case they have a street they close off every night for concerts. The main thing is the activity it creates in the downtown area, I think, is really exciting."
Team officials and city officials will begin talks with The Cordish Company about what they plan to put in Ballpark Village. They likely will include the team's museum and there is talk about putting an aquarium in the village. They also plan to build a plaza where fans can gather before and after the games. Entertainment and retail venues in other Cordish-developed sites include ESPN Zone, Hard Rock Caf?, Barnes & Noble, Gold's Gym and five-star hotels.
Blake Cordish, vice president of real estate for the Cordish Company, insisted that Ballpark Village would be different from its other venues.
"You draw on elements you find in the community," Cordish said of how they plan to give Ballpark Village a St. Louis touch. "We believe there needs to be some grounding of authenticity in the design. It also comes in the form of tenants. Part of our tenant search will be to seek out local and regional operators. We often work to create new concepts that come from a basis within the community."
One aspect that makes Ballpark Village unique is its location. It will lie adjacent to left field in the new stadium. Left field is completely open to the city, allowing anyone in the city to get an eyeful, all the way to home plate.
"That just doesn't exist in baseball," DeWitt III said. "Probably the best comparison to that particular block would be Baltimore. In right field (of Camden Yards) they have the Warehouse, which is right on Utah Street. So, they have captured Utah Street and then the views from the Warehouse are just amazing."
St. Louis mayor Francis G. Slay, who was present at the press conference, said he was unsure how much of the city's money would be needed to foot the bill.
"That's something (the Cardinals and The Cordish Company) will need to talk about, do the planning, come up with what they want to do and what assistance, if any, from the city they will be seeking," Slay said. "I will talk with them just like any other developer in the city and try to help them make this succeed because if they succeed in this development I think, overall, we succeed as a city."
Ballpark Village and the new Busch Stadium will be parts of a $3 billion dollar re-development of the downtown St. Louis area.
"When you talk about the ballpark," Mayor Slay said. "The Ballpark Village, the old Post Office District, the Bottle District by the dome, a new development by the riverfront, all the new residential construction going on -- downtown is on fire, it is hot."
Stephen A. Norris is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
'Ballpark Village' developer hired
Cordish Company plans mixed-use development for new park
By Stephen A. Norris / MLB.com
? Photo gallery of the new proposal
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/ph ... 73059.html
ST. LOUIS --- The Cardinals are on the verge of undertaking a task no one else in baseball has yet to, but it has nothing to do with the players.
On Thursday the organization announced that it has hired a developer for the new "Ballpark Village," a $300-million mixed-use development. The project promises to blend restaurants, entertainment venues, residential units and office spaces all with a unique flavor that is strictly St. Louis.
"Regarding some other teams that have done projects with new ballparks, I really think this is a unique site," said Bill DeWitt III, senior vice president for business development.
The Cordish Company will be taking on the project. The company is considered the largest and most successful developer of entertainment districts and concepts in the country. They have won six Urban Land Institute Awards of excellence, the highest honor given in the real estate industry. They have developed similar venues in Baltimore, Charleston, S.C. and Louisville, Ky., and they are currently molding the massive, 450,000-square-foot Kansas City Power and Light District across the state.
The Cardinals are currently contractually obligated to spend $60 million of an estimated $300 million on Ballpark Village.
Ballpark Village will be located on the north side of Clark Street, spill into the land occupying the current Busch Stadium and will be bordered by Market and 8th Streets. Because of its location, construction will have to wait until the stadium is demolished -- three weeks after the season -- and the debris is cleaned up. Bill DeWitt Jr., the Cardinals' chairman of the board and general partner, said construction likely wouldn't begin until fall of 2006 and broken down into separate phases. He envisions the village as creating a buzz in the city not restricted to game nights.
"(Similar sites) I have been to had a lot of activity on non-game nights," DeWitt Jr. said. "A lot of restaurants, a lot of shows. In Louisville's case they have a street they close off every night for concerts. The main thing is the activity it creates in the downtown area, I think, is really exciting."
Team officials and city officials will begin talks with The Cordish Company about what they plan to put in Ballpark Village. They likely will include the team's museum and there is talk about putting an aquarium in the village. They also plan to build a plaza where fans can gather before and after the games. Entertainment and retail venues in other Cordish-developed sites include ESPN Zone, Hard Rock Caf?, Barnes & Noble, Gold's Gym and five-star hotels.
Blake Cordish, vice president of real estate for the Cordish Company, insisted that Ballpark Village would be different from its other venues.
"You draw on elements you find in the community," Cordish said of how they plan to give Ballpark Village a St. Louis touch. "We believe there needs to be some grounding of authenticity in the design. It also comes in the form of tenants. Part of our tenant search will be to seek out local and regional operators. We often work to create new concepts that come from a basis within the community."
One aspect that makes Ballpark Village unique is its location. It will lie adjacent to left field in the new stadium. Left field is completely open to the city, allowing anyone in the city to get an eyeful, all the way to home plate.
"That just doesn't exist in baseball," DeWitt III said. "Probably the best comparison to that particular block would be Baltimore. In right field (of Camden Yards) they have the Warehouse, which is right on Utah Street. So, they have captured Utah Street and then the views from the Warehouse are just amazing."
St. Louis mayor Francis G. Slay, who was present at the press conference, said he was unsure how much of the city's money would be needed to foot the bill.
"That's something (the Cardinals and The Cordish Company) will need to talk about, do the planning, come up with what they want to do and what assistance, if any, from the city they will be seeking," Slay said. "I will talk with them just like any other developer in the city and try to help them make this succeed because if they succeed in this development I think, overall, we succeed as a city."
Ballpark Village and the new Busch Stadium will be parts of a $3 billion dollar re-development of the downtown St. Louis area.
"When you talk about the ballpark," Mayor Slay said. "The Ballpark Village, the old Post Office District, the Bottle District by the dome, a new development by the riverfront, all the new residential construction going on -- downtown is on fire, it is hot."
Stephen A. Norris is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.