Posted April 9, 200916 yr As a sports-challenged total klutz I know from nothin' about baseball but this looks pretty nice to me; let's see what you think: Parkview Field, Fort Wayne's new downtown ballpark, is home to the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, Midwest League Affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The ballpark replaces an area of mostly auto-repair shops and parking lots and will be a boost to downtown, following on the heels of the expanded and enlarged Allen County Public Library and Grand Wayne Convention Center. Work is moving along at a brisk pace to prepare for opening night, April 16, with the Tin Caps meeting the Dayton Dragons at 7:05 p.m. On Friday afternoon, April 3, I walked over to get a few pictures of the entrance area. Construction of hotel and residential/retail has yet to begin, although it looks like financing may finally be coming together. On April 4 an open house gave the public a chance to see what the ballpark looks like. The weather was perfect, the crowds were enthusiastic, and I saw a lot of happy, excited people. The North Gate, off Jefferson Street, and the splash pad are still under construction. Some views from the parking garage. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on the left, St. Paul's Lutheran (Missouri Synod) on the right. The building in the center distance, with the arched-roof skylight running the length, is the Allen County Public Library. The building on the nearer right edge of the photo is the Grand Wayne Convention Center. I retired from this place in 2000. General Electric complex - I was an apprentice machinist-toolmaker there 1958-1961, and then worked on the top floor of the building with the GE sign in the 1980s. About 3,000 people worked there in the 1950s, and I'm told that nearly 5,000 worked there during WWII. Now it's mostly vacant, and several buildings have been razed. Former PRR depot, now known as Baker Street Station. It's the site of the previous day's Rally for Rail.
April 9, 200916 yr What happened to the Wizards??? Wizards are now the Tin Caps. New park, new name. Tin Caps is a reference to Johnny Appleseed, who according to popular legend wore his tin pot for a hat. He's reputed to have been buried near Fort Wayne.
April 9, 200916 yr That is a gorgeous stadium. It's awesome to see development like that. The hotel, retail/residential looks like it will work with the baseball stadium very well. As for the huge GE complex, can't they develop that? Turn it into mixed use residential/retail. Do something with it. The buildings look well taken care of. It would be so sad to lose them. Awesome thread, Rob. Thanks for the photos!!
April 9, 200916 yr The stadium looks beautiful. I've seen some proven examples of how these minor league stadiums have led to surrounding development. It looks perfectly situated to be an anchor to downtown, stimulating more retail and residential.
April 9, 200916 yr I'm a fan of baseball and a fan of ballparks, and I've got to say that is a handsome specimen, with nice views of an underrated city. I also like that the team name, the Tin Caps, pays homage to Johnny Appleseed, who lived his last years near Fort Wayne. But there is an insidious corporate trend in sports logos, which seems to embrace the juxtaposition of cutesiness and attitude. The menacing glare in the logo is the antithesis of what John Chapman really was.
April 9, 200916 yr What more could you possibly ask from a minor league stadium? That is absolutely beautiful!
April 9, 200916 yr yeah, it looks like it is being built to last. i like it. nice to see sunny, wide shots of good 'ol fort wayne, too. thx rob!
April 9, 200916 yr Wow, talk about a gorgeous design, minor league parks are hit-or-miss, but they did an outstanding job designing that place!
April 9, 200916 yr Wow, this is a beautiful ballpark. For some reason, minor league parks just seem to be built at the perfect scale for baseball, IMO. They look comfortable and intimate, and a good place to watch a game.
April 9, 200916 yr It looks better than most MLB parks. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 14, 200916 yr Great photos! Looks like a great stadium. Myself and my Dad started a tradition three years ago. We started meeting my uncle and his son in Fort Wayne to go to a Wizards game (they live in New Haven). This year, I am looking forward to it. It will be a much different experience from the Allen County Coliseum (I think that is what it was called).
April 14, 200916 yr Yes, it will be much different, in a good way. Although some aspects of the planned development for that area are lagging because of the economy's collapse, the park has been completed to the highest standards and the team owners intend to make it a fun experience. If by any chance you come to Fort Wayne on a weekday during business hours, and haven't been inside the Allen County Courthouse, try to do that. It's not as big as the Statehouse, but it's much more elaborate and glorious in its details and decorative painting. Just remember to lock cell phones, cameras, PDAs, etc. in the car, because they're banned inside the building, and security won't hold them for you.
April 14, 200916 yr Great photos Rob. That stadium sure has come along quite nicely. As a kid I used to go to Fort Wayne in the summer time every other weekend to see my mom's side of the family. I can't tell you how many Wizards games I went to. While this stadium certainly is nice and I'm glad they moved their location downtown....the new name of the team sucks. I love how when I was in Fort Wayne this past December, visiting family, my relatives kept referring to the team as "the pot heads." Allen County Memorial is also a great venue in Fort Wayne. They have done a great job keeping that place updated and the hockey games there, while minor league, are AWESOME to watch. Go Komets!
April 14, 200916 yr Looks quite nice! Go Dragons, though. We'll see. The weather forecast for Thursday is favorable, sunny 66 degrees but turning chilly in the evening. Opening night sold out less than an hour after on-line sales were opened. :-)
April 17, 200916 yr Looks quite nice! Go Dragons, though. On opening night Fort Wayne Tin Caps played the Dayton Dragons and won 7-0 (My condolences, Andy). The Tin Caps' season, so far, is also 7-0. For some kick-butt photos and links to local media coverage of the event, I recommend the Spaulding Brothers' blog, What's Going Down(town). They're dedicated urbanists and baseball/ballpark fans, and they've been following/promoting the ballpark and Harrison Square development avidly since its inception.
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