"You Can't Steal First": Building the City Through the Ballpark

“YOU

CAN’T

STEAL

FIRST” BUILDING THE CITY THROUGH THE BALLPARK JONAH ROSEN

2022 KOSSMAN THESIS Penn State Department of Architecture

ABSTRACT

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Ballparks have played host to our national pastime dating back to the first constructed stadiums of the late 1800s. They have grown and evolved with the nature of our cities; urban stadiums condensed into city blocks in the 1910s and 20s, suburban stadiums outside the city that required a car to get there in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and a push to return to the city in the past 3 decades only to offer more comfortable conditions that were discovered in the suburban era. But one problem is common throughout all of the eras; stadiums are scarcely used outside of their main purpose. These multi-billion-dollar buildings, which are often funded by taxpayer programs, seek only to create revenue for highvalue organizations that bring money in through ticketing and TV/sponsorship deals as well.

Because they are only truly occupied for a few hours on less than 25% of the days in a year, other programs that benefit the city’s people should be inputted into the design of these venues, increasing the use hours to better reflect the price tag that those people are contributing to. Using a ballpark as an economic spark makes sense. If teams are truly committed to rejuvenating their cities, providing space in their stadiums that fit into their communities is how that happens. This thesis deploys the taxonomy of a ballpark as a year-round strategy to rejuvenate Armour Square in southwest Chicago.

– Terence Mann [James Earl Jones] Field of Dreams 1989

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“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers.

It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again. Oh people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.”

JEWEL BOX ERA In the early 20th Century, steel and concreteconstructed ballparks began to replace the unsustainable wooden ballparks that began the organized efforts of baseball’s intersection with architecture in the last few decades of the 19th Century. These stadiums were all located within American cities, fit within the confines of city blocks. This resulted in unusual dimensions and ballfield configurations. The downfall of these old stadiums is that the columns that held up the upper deck obstructed views of some seats in the lower deck. The concourses were also narrow due to the tight constraints of the urban sites. These ballparks were coined the jewel box ballparks because they embodied the golden age of baseball.

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POLO GROUNDS NEW YORK, 1889

SPORTSMAN’S PARK ST. LOUIS, 1902

FORBES FIELD PITTSBURGH, 1909

WRIGLEY FIELD KEY SECTION

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WRIGLEY FIELD CONTEXT

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SUBURBAN ERA In the post-war United States, the suburbs rapidly developed as an idealized vision of the American lifestyle. Single-family housing, lush green yards, and an increased reliance on cars to get from place to place. Baseball reflected this shift in lifestyle, with newer stadiums being built with acres of parking lots to accommodate more people driving to the games. While some of these stadiums remained in the cities, many moved to the outskirts or suburbs where there was more available land to serve the sea of parking lots. These stadiums, some of which hosted both baseball and football games, allotted more area for circulation and wider concourses. Yet they lacked character, many fields having the same dimensions and the only design characteristic was the exposed concrete structure.

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CANDLESTICK PARK SAN FRANCISCO, 1960

BUSCH STADIUM II ST. LOUIS, 1966

THREE RIVERS STADIUM PITTSBURGH, 1970

ASTRODOME KEY SECTION

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ASTRODOME CONTEXT

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RETRO ERA 30 years ago, Camden Yards in Baltimore rejected the suburban model in hopes of bringing character back to ballpark designs. This began the retro era. These ballparks hoped to bring back the best aspects of the jewel box era: irregular field dimensions and urban sites, while providing comfortable, wide concourses and cantilevered structure found in the suburban stadiums. However, retro stadiums aren’t perfect. Many promised to revitalize the areas surrounding them, building community. But despite their high price tags that were partially paid for through taxpayer money, they failed to achieve that goal.

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ORACLE PARK

SAN FRANCISCO, 2000

BUSCH STADIUM III ST. LOUIS, 2006

PNC PARK

PITTSBURGH, 2001

CAMDEN YARDS KEY SECTION

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CAMDEN YARDS CONTEXT

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PROGRAM ISSUES Major League Baseball stadiums are used for 81 regular season home games per year. That means that these multi-billion dollar buildings are used for 81 guaranteed days per year.

With the playoffs and concerts, that provides approximately 21 additional days per year.

With the cost of building and operating these stadiums, there must be other uses that can be incorporated into the architecture. The stadium should be used as a catalyst for economic and business growth in the city. The program that is merged with the stadium was found by analyzing the hours of the day that places that make the city are used and defining the “rules” of these places.

81 DAYS // 365 DAYS THAT MLB STADIUMS ARE USED FOR BASEBALL GAMES

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WHEN DO PEOPLE SHOP AND EAT? Most people shop on weekends and after work.

People shop for groceries on average 1.6 times per week and shop at retail stores.

Restaurants are great additions to residential neighborhoods and areas where people have jobs.

“RULES” RETAIL

PRIVATE

PUBLIC

WHEN ARE PEOPLE HOME? A majority of American adults are home in the evenings, overnight, and on weekends.

WHEN ARE PEOPLE AT WORK? Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most people worked in offices from 9 AM to 5 PM. Despite the pandemic, offices are returning to normal.

Non-corporate jobs can have different hours.

RESIDENTIAL

OFFICE

OFFICE

RESIDENTIAL

OFFICE

RESIDENTIAL

OFFICE

OFFICE

OFFICE

RETAIL

PRIVATE PUBLIC

LOBBY CAFE CONFERENCE

PRIVATE PUBLIC

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RESIDENTIAL

“RULES” OFFICE

“RULES” URBAN HOUSING

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PROGRAM BLENDING We know the building blocks of the city; the entertainment heart of the city, the business nucleus of downtown, the parks and open spaces to provide respite, and the ever-lively residential neighborhoods. Consider this the program of the city.

When comparing these program blocks of the city to the program blocks of a ballpark, there are overlaps. The concession and merchandise stands are the shops and restaurants. The suite level, often filled with corporate professionals, is the “downtown”. The obvious one, the ballfield, puts the park in ballpark and is the reason for us to gather. And the sections of seats are the residential “neighborhoods” of a stadium, the home for the passionate fans to take in a game.

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The new challenge for a ballpark design becomes how to blend these programs into a cohesive, accessible anchor for the people of the city. Where does the city end and the stadium begin? What does that threshold look like?

THRESHOLD POROSITY DIAGRAM

CI TY

LI M I

TS

SHO PP I

ENT E

RES IDE NT

CE SPA

L IA

OP

EN

| NEW “CENTER” CITY HE ET D I S UT O

PARKS &

AINMENT C RT

TER EN

TH EM AL L

ICT RETAIL , RE STR DI ST

NTS RA AU

G N

CENTER CITY

IGHBORHOOD NE

THE CITY PLAN DIAGRAM

STADIUM BOWL

P

/DRINK/S HO OD FO

CO

M SPACE EA

SE

T

FO

ATE OR RP

INK/SHOP DR D/ O

ICE RV

THE STADIUM SECTION DIAGRAM

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CHICAGO INEQUITY Like many cities, inequity is woven into Chicago’s fabric. Driven by decades of political evil and systemic city planning against racial minorities. Chicago is a diverse city, home to many immigrant neighborhoods.

But diversity doesn’t always mean equity, as is the case in Chicago. Part of that spurs from the locations of the city’s expressways. As the suburbs developed in the post-war era, highways connected them back into the heart of the cities. Many cities, Chicago included, razed neighborhoods that were home to the communities of people of color. This added an additional means of segregation: a physical barrier. Black communities were cut off from white communities by lanes and lanes of asphalt. Those who were displaced by the construction had to uproot and rebuild their lives.

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The effect of this inequity shows up in the socioeconomic blueprint of the city, increasing the income gap between the neighborhoods.

Chicago acknowledges its unjust past and is actively working to right their wrongs, investing in neighborhoods that need it most.

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Source: Radical Cartography

HOUSING BANK MUSEUM RESTAURANT BUSINESS INCUBATOR COMMUNITY SPACE HOUSING RETAIL RESTAURANT COMMUNITY SPACE COMMUNITY SPACE INDUSTRIAL FACILITY

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HUMBOLDT HUMBOLDT PARK PARK

HOUSING RESTAURANT

NORTH NORTH LAWNDALE LAWNDALE AUSTIN

Chicago is “strategically reversing decades of systemic public and private disinvestment within the city’s West and South Side neighborhoods”.

Over $1 billion has already been invested from public and private funds to build projects that will revitalize neighborhoods.

This initiative, called Invest South/West, brings housing and jobs while improving public space, transportation, and services. The site of the White Sox current stadium is only 12 blocks north of the Bronzeville and New City development proposals, providing the opportunity to expand the reach of Invest South/ West further north towards downtown Chicago.

HOUSING BUSINESS INCUBATOR COMMUNITY SPACE

HOUSING BUSINESS INCUBATOR COMMUNITY SPACE

NEW CITY

CHICAGO INITIATIVE

SITE HUMBOLDT PARK NORTH LAWNDALE AUSTIN NEW CITY

SOUTH SHORE

SOUTH CHICAGO

ENGLEWOOD

AUBURN GRESHAM

GREATER ROSELAND

ENGLE WOOD

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BRONZEVILLE

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AUBURN GRESHAM

SOUTH CHICAGO

SOUTH SHORE

BRONZE VILLE

SOUTHSIDE PARK To validate why taxpayer money can be allocated towards building a stadium, there must be the argument that it is improving the city. Ballparks have claimed this in the past, but have not proven to succeed in that goal. This design for a new ballpark of the South Side will use a public-private partnership to fund a stadium that is not a baseball stadium, but a piece of the city where the White Sox happen to play baseball games.

This proposal will also allot space on the site of the existing ballpark for development of more retail stores, restaurants, office buildings, and parks, creating a neighborhood. This is how a ballpark can be used as a catalyst for city building.

CORPORATE LEVEL

CIRCULATION

UPPER DECK

CIRCULATION GREEN SPACE

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The seating bowl, field, and below-grade areas of the stadium (private space for the team and staff) are the only baseball-related program. Outside of that is a public market and promenade featuring shops and restaurants that will remain open during the ball game. The only change in this program is where it can be accessed from. During the game, the perimeter of the stadium will be sealed for security.

Otherwise, these stores are open to the street for year-round use.

SECTION

SCALE: 1/16”=1’-0”

LOWER DECK AND STREET LEVEL

COLUMN BAY PLAN AND SECTION

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CIRCULATION

SUPPORT

MARKET RESTAURANTS BARS RETAIL BOUTIQUES

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SUPPORT

SUPPORT CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION GREEN SPACE

MARKET RESTAURANTS BARS RETAIL BOUTIQUES

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SOUTHSIDE PARK

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YOU CAN’T STEAL FIRST | Jonah Rosen

SOUTHSIDE PARK

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SOUTHSIDE PARK

ET

ARMOUR SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD

E TR S D R 33

S

LA SA L

LE

S

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SOUTHSIDE PARK HOUSING

OFFICES GREEN SPACE PARKING CTA RED LINE METRA ROCK ISLAND LINE

NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRAIN YARD

RETAIL / RESTAURANTS

W

EN

TW OR TH

AV E

ST

ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

ET

EE

T

E TR S H T 35

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GREENWAY COVERING DAN RYAN EXPRESSWAY CONNECTS NEIGHBORHOODS OF ARMOUR SQUARE AND DOUGLAS/ BRONZEVILLE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY SEPARATED BY I-90

N SITE PLAN AXONOMETRIC

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Clarke, Liz. “Lawmakers Seek to End Lucrative Tax Breaks for Pro Stadium Construction.” The Washington Post. WP Company, February 23, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ sports/2022/02/22/nfl-congress-stadium-tax-bill/.

Clem, Andrew. “Stadium Lists by Name and by City.” Clem’s Baseball ~ Stadium lists. Accessed April 22, 2022. http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/Stadium_lists.html.

Cullen, Justin Allen. “Reintegrating the Stadium within the City: A Ballpark for Downtown Tampa.”

Thesis, University of Maryland, 2012.

Goldberger, Paul. Ballpark: Baseball in the American City. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2019.

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Graham, Matthew R., and Darla V. Lindberg. “Material and Immaterial: Designing an Architecture of Cognitive Systems.” Thesis, Pennsylvania State University, 2012.

Hofferth, Sandra L., Flood, Sarah M., Sobek, Matthew, Backman, Daniel. American Time Use Survey Data Extract Builder: Version 2.8 [dataset]. College Park, MD: University of Maryland and Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2020. https://doi.org/10.18128/D060.V2.8Â. https://www.atusdata. org.

Invest South/West. City of Chicago. Accessed April 21, 2022. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/ sites/invest_sw/home.html.

McDonald, John P. “The Contextual Stadium: Utilizing the Ballpark as an Urban Catalyst.” Thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2007.

Perry, Dayn. “Why Braves’ Truist Park Is Latest Ballpark to Prove Tax Dollars Should Not Be Used on Stadiums.” CBS Sports, March 17, 2021. https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/why-bravestruist-park-is-latest-ballpark-to-prove-tax-dollars-should-not-be-used-on-stadiums/.

Radecic, Scott. “Designing Collegiate Facilities for Year-Round Revenue,” March 27, 2019. https:// populous.com/designing-collegiate-facilities-for-year-round-revenue.

Rankin, Bill. “Racial/Ethnic Self-Identifications in Chicago in the Year 2010.” Radicalcartography.

Accessed April 21, 2022. http://www.radicalcartography.net/index.html?chicagodots.

Ray, Melanie, and Darla Lindberg. “Olympic District 2040: Renegotiating the Olympic Commons for Spatial Justice and Development Equity.” Thesis, Pennsylvania State University, 2015.

Sweeney, Raymond W. “The American Ballpark: A Structural Perspective.” Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008.

Tannenbaum, Seth S., Bryant Simon, Petra Goedde, Rebecca T. Alpert, and Steven A. Riess.

“Ballparks as America: The Fan Experience at Major League Baseball Parks in the Twentieth Century.” Thesis, Temple University, 2019.v

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