I like what the tribe has done.  They have essentially turned progressive field into a farmers market for Clevelanders favorite food and beer stops. Its a one stop shop.  Pulling people in for more than baseball.  They must've had a nice strategic planning session

 

I'd rather they put a 1st place team on the field.  Then they wouldn't have to worry about marketing gimmicks.  They might just sell out multiple seasons at 81 games each....

 

Agreed x 10.  It's too easy for owners of pro sports teams to make money (alot of money) while fielding a subpar team.  They can do this from the merchandise, parking, concessions, tv deals & other revenue besides ticket sales.  Pittsburgh Pirates have done it for years.  And in a desperate midwest city like Cleveland, that ramrodded the sin tax through last fall, it's even easier to make money when the city pays for your stadium upgrades.

 

Edit:  It's no coincidence that Progressive Field, First Energy Stadium and Quicken Loans area all undergoing major improvements currently, less than 1 year after the sin tax was passed.  They knew it would pass because the local officials pushed it through for them.

and frankly...they have a winning team on the field. 

 

This!  The "I'd rather watch a winning team" sentiment seems oddly timed.  This is not a subpar team. It may even be the favorite to win the division.

What are some of you talking about?  There is nothing subpar about this group.  The last two seasons have produced more wins in back to back years since 2000-2001, teams that had Manny, Thome, Juan, Roberto, Sandy, Lofton, Vizquel. 

 

They have been in the hunt for a world championship up until late September both years. 

A winning team? Really? How many people show up to watch the circus that is the Cleveland Clowns?

 

Vegas has the Indians at 84.5 wins this season. That's like the Browns going 9-7. Give me a break about the Indians being losers.

Alright, lets get batch to construction news.  There is an Indians sports talk thread already.

The toothbrush lights are on at Progressive Field tonight -- I can see them from the Gold Coast! Perhaps they're working around the clock to finish the improvements within 30 days....

 

The tarp is off the @indians new bar! http://t.co/oaLmQW42Zc

The toothbrush lights are on at Progressive Field tonight -- I can see them from the Gold Coast! Perhaps they're working around the clock to finish the improvements within 30 days....

 

The tarp is off the @indians new bar! http://t.co/oaLmQW42Zc

 

They normally have them on at night in March. My very uneducated guess has always been to help get that grass growing.

I don't remember seeing it before and I've had the same view for 18 years. I do see them on a few days before the season starts. And how can regular lighting help anything grow?

I don't remember seeing it before and I've had the same view for 18 years. I do see them on a few days before the season starts. And how can regular lighting help anything grow?

 

KJP, how many times have you had your place painted in the last 18 years? Do you remember any of the former colors? Point is, the mind in general does not remember mundane things like former paint colors, or when the lights went on at "Jacobs Field".

 

Let's just be happy that it's a sign Spring is right around the corner, and so is opening day. YEA!!! GO TRIBE!!!

Your mind may not. But everyone is different. I actually have a photographic memory before I drank heavily in the late-1990s/early 2000s. And even afterwards, I can remember general things such I had my condo re-painted once -- in July 2008 with new wallpaper only in the hallway. The reason was a toilet tank broke at 2 a.m. on June 8, 2008 and flooded my condo. I was to have breakfast that morning with Cleveland's sustainability director at Gypsy Bean on Detroit Avenue. The old paint scheme was white throughout. The carpeting before 2008 was cut-and-loop style, like what I have now, but was a brighter tan I didn't like because it stained easily. I can remember the dates that some of my pets were born as far back as the 1970s. I can remember at what time of year certain songs were popular on the radio in the 70s and 80s. But I am lousy with people's name, although I can remember the starting lineup in each season of the mid-1980s Browns or the batting order of the mid-1990s Indians.

 

So don't mess with daddy's memory! :)

Getting Testy there KJP. And you are not my daddy.

The toothbrush lights are on at Progressive Field tonight -- I can see them from the Gold Coast! Perhaps they're working around the clock to finish the improvements within 30 days....

 

The tarp is off the @indians new bar! http://t.co/oaLmQW42Zc

 

They normally have them on at night in March. My very uneducated guess has always been to help get that grass growing.

 

I've remembered this as well--I always thought it was just the crews working OT to waken the Jake from the winter slumber.  Either grounds and/or just basic maintenance in the stands, etc.

Getting Testy there KJP. And you are not my daddy.

 

Nope. All good-natured. If I said this to you in person, you would see me smiling with a playful tone in my voice the entire time I tell you this with my hand on your shoulder. Have a good one!

Tribe is doing something cool today for any downtown St. Patrick's Day crowds, opening up the Terrace Club to public to check progress on renovations.

 

http://tribevibe.mlblogs.com/2015/03/16/stop-by-progressive-field-on-st-patricks-day-to-check-out-renovation-progress-and-grab-a-free-hot-dog/

So, this doesn't look very good as of now... I hope they're still going to be adding some paint or something

 

 

So, this doesn't look very good as of now... I hope they're still going to be adding some paint or something

 

 

Doesn't look much like this:

 

 

Am I missing something?

Horrible execution.  Even if the area was paint it's original color the final design is nothing close to what was rendered.  It definitely looks as an add on rather than a cohesive integration.

This was the most recent rendering:

 

The design is better with the green.  The off-white color looks like cheap cardboard boxes covering seats

^ exactly. I hope that we're jumping the gun with our criticisms here, and that they will make it look better over the next couple weeks. I wish we would have more closely followed Coors Field's lead:

 

I'm pretty sure those are temporary construction covers which might look better than having incomplete facilities, and even workers laboring visible to the crowd.

Kind of wish we stuck with the blue especially since there is more of it colored throughout that rendering than the green one. The green one has too much concrete imo.

I wish we would have more closely followed Coors Field's lead:

 

 

Keep in mind that the Prog project is being built on top of the original raked upper deck structure, so there really wasn't a lot of design flexibility. The only way to build flat surfaces is to erect those clunky empty platform box things.

I wish we would have more closely followed Coors Field's lead:

 

 

Keep in mind that the Prog project is being built on top of the original raked upper deck structure, so there really wasn't a lot of design flexibility. The only way to build flat surfaces is to erect those clunky empty platform box things.

 

I know, but my wish is that there would have been more a structural redesign of the upper deck so that it would look more like Coors. I know that would have cost more money...

Not a fan of the white, so I'm hoping that's just construction cover as KJP suggested or will be painted green as in the rendering TPH posted.  Otherwise I'm willing to wait until it's finished to judge.  This is definitely in line with that rendering, and the real test is how does it look and function when fans are there.  Hopefully it provides the enhanced fan experience the Indians are promoting.

I am just guessing, but the players names may just be stencils so when they paint those white sections green the names would be pulled off and be white underneath. Hopefully.

I'm pretty sure those are temporary construction covers which might look better than having incomplete facilities, and even workers laboring visible to the crowd.

 

That could be the case, but then that would mean that they've known for months that the work wouldn't be completed by Opening Day, but the team has been saying that the vast majority of the work should be completed by the opener. So that doesn't really all add up to me.

My assumption was wrong. Those are not temporary covers for ongoing construction work. I just checked with a source at the Indians who says "Nope, they're permanent. They are terraced picnic areas for groups."

I cannot get over how awful that looks. They've about ruined a beautiful ballpark. :-(

My assumption was wrong. Those are not temporary covers for ongoing construction work. I just checked with a source at the Indians who says "Nope, they're permanent. They are terraced picnic areas for groups."

Yep, you could tell based on your photo and the renderring.  The renderring just made it look better.  I thought the stencils looked to complete for them to be winter protection coverrings.  Looks like they need a railing, some patio furniture, and that's a wrap.  Unbelievable how awful this looks.  They can't be happy with it.  What the heck is inside of those things too?  These shipping container designs are all the rage now I guess :laugh:.

I'm hoping they'll at least paint them green.  GoTribe is right they looked better in the rendering, so I'm praying that a paint job fades them into the ballpark...but that white or whatever sticks out in the worst possible way.

It looks terribly unfinished. Hopefully they will paint them but it doesn't seem like that's the idea for right now .... I hope they re think that

I figure out what has been bothering me.  The terraced picnic areas have a solid 3 foot rail that makes each terrace appear 3 foot higher.  If those were adjusted to open glass rails or metal they would definitely appear less imposing.  Along with that I do not know how people seated can see the game over this feature.  I have included a photo showing the areas that should be open railings and a section showing the terraces if they were painted green. I have left off any graphics to he front of the areas just for clarity.

 

Also how are any of those terraces ADA accessible ?

This is horribly depressing looking if it stays this way.  UGH.

Where is Steve Litt when you need him.  They absolutely have ruined one to the best ball parks.  It looks like Disney World.

You all sound like my wife in the middle of our kitchen remodel!  Just wait until its finished.  Then complain.

You all sound like my wife in the middle of our kitchen remodel!  Just wait until its finished.  Then complain.

 

Touchè.

Green paint or some type of other green covering has gone up on at least one of the decks in right field. The one above Feller's name and number.

My analogy is they are putting sinner rims on a beautiful Bentley car.  You don't need foresight to know that it will be tacky in the end!

All of this seems lackluster.  Why the donor bricks couldn't have been integrated back into Gate C appears odd.  The whole plaza seems ordinary

In that last picture, are they starting to paint the boxes in the middle row green?  I doubt the top and lower row will be painted now that the decals are on them but even if they painted the whole middle row green that would help make this look less awkward

Last night I noticed an advertisement sign on the box right above Harder's number for Bernie Moreno Companies. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture, but it looked like this logo below, except stretched across the entire surface of the box and on a blue (I think?) background:

 

 

God I hope that's not a permanent fixture.

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150402/FREE/150409963/progressive-field-will-be-ready-for-indians-home-opener-mark-shapiro

 

 

More advertisement signage appearing on the terrace boxes and the addition of Key Bank signage on light towers.  I wish that was not added.

Are you f#cking kidding me - instead of floating the signage between the upper deck and the light posts, they jammed the Key logo right up under the lights? :roll: I thought the terrace boxes were the worst part of the renovations, but I stand corrected.

And all this time I thought that shipping container retail project would be limited to Warehouse District surface lots.

Yuck, this really is shameful.  I just can't get my head around this colossal failure of design. 

Why aren't any of the people held responsible for the worst example of rendered designs to actual build? The two are not even close to what was billed. As for the Key Bank signage on the light posts it appears the planning commission agreed with lowering the sign but appears that did not happen.  Interested in why it wasn't

Here was the initial presentation to the planning commission and what the final outcome placement is.

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2015/01092015/index.php

 

Downtown/Flats Design Review Case Report

PROGRESSIVE FIELD LIGHT TOWER "KEY BANK" SIGNAGE

Back Return to Case List | Start Over | Print Report (PDF format)

 

Project Information

 

Downtown/Flats Case #  DF 2014-123

Address: 2401 Ontario Street

Company: Brilliant Electric Sign Co.

Architect:

Description:

"Key Bank" lettering and logo to be mounted on a fabricated steel structure which will be mounted on the existing light towers on the first base side of the ballpark.

 

Notes:

-Original proposal was reviewed by staff, with comments and recomendations

 

 

-Second proposal was then presented to staff again, and was agreed upon.

 

Committee Actions/Submissions

 

Date: December 23, 2014

Committee: Staff

Action Type: Initial Plan Submission

Conditions/Notes:

 

Date: January 8, 2015

Committee: Local Design Review Committee

Action Type: Approved

Conditions:

Suggestion: Lowering the proposed sign slightly from the proposed position on the light tower.

 

 

Date: January 9, 2015

Committee: City Planning Commission

Action Type: Approved

Conditions:

.

 

 

I also contacted The Indians organization and asked why the upper terraces did not have open railings as the renderings showed to lessen the "shipping container" outcome . I was told the following response " Thank you for your email regarding the ongoing renovations to Progressive Field.  I apologize that you are displeased with the way the Group Terraces in right field are looking.  Those areas are being designed to accommodate group outings, and the railings are there for safety reasons.  In terms of the color, right now they are still unfinished and we are optimistic they will be painted by Opening Day.  We always strive to give the best possible experience to our fans and we hope these group areas will improve both the look of the park, and the enjoyment our fans have.  Again we apologize that you are displeased with the progress so far.  Please consider the finished product, and we feel confident the changes will be a good thing moving forward for both the Club and our fans."

 

I wrote back again asking how the railings were designed to be enclosed are safer than an open metal rail that meets codes since that was what was presented originally.  No response and i sill would love to know how they are ADA compliant. Unless you are standing directly next to the closed railings I do not know how one sees the game below. Has anyone the designed these areas taken this into consideration?

 

I included a closeup of the terrace boxes that looks even more like a shipping container.

Looks to me like they just created a bunch of billboards in the upper deck :-(

I guess I jsut don't understand the function.  Is there something inside of them?  Do you stand on them?  The fact that I'm using the term "them" further validates in my mind that they need to be something and serve some type of function.  Ugh, they just confuse me???? 

Wow, did they do anything right with this design?

Seeing it in its unfinished state, not good. I am hoping when it is all complete it will come together. And while I am glad they are able to bring in more advertising revenue, I didn't think it would come in the form of big giant out of place boxes. Is this another design build...lol. The best rendering we had was done by dave68[/member]. Let's see what they do over the next 7 days...