Oregon Stadium Campaign :: MLB Stadium Concept

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Ballpark Information

A Vision of One Site

Rendering by Philippe Sauvie Illustration | Ballpark Design and Area Development Concept by Fosler Portland Architecture
Interactive Stadium Vingette (Requires Flash) :: Click to enlarge image

This page is provided to show a design concept at one of several locations under consideration for an MLB stadium in Portland. This location was part of a preliminary study undertaken in the spring of 2000. This design is simply a concept, and is the work of local Portland architect Steve Fosler of Fosler Portland Architecture, with the assistance of Steve Ewoldt and Tim Marttala. A special thank you is extended for their work, as well as that of Philippe Sauvie and Steven Jenkins of Philippe Sauvie Illustration, who produced the above rendering and a 3D animation.

The site location is one block north of the Rose Garden Arena in which the NBA Portland Trail Blazers play. The location has been labeled the "PPS Site" due to the fact that the Portland Public School system owns a large office and warehouse facility that occupies most of the property involved. The PPS has informed the city that it wishes to move into a new facility that is more suited to the size of their personnel, and warehousing needs.

3D Mass Modeling Animation
by Philippe Sauvie Illustration

The location borders NE Broadway, Wheeler Ave., and the East Side of the Willamette River looking into downtown Portland from the east side of the Willamette. The location is also directly next to Interstate-5, which runs north to Vancouver, WA. and to points south such as Salem and Eugene, OR.

Another part of this location is the proximity to the new lightrail construction, which is running north/south and is due to be completed in September of 2004. This regional public transportation system is a major factor in the concept design.

Once again, a number of potential sites have been identified in the Portland central city area and several of them have been the subject of preliminary study. Among those receiving study is this potential near-eastside location. While most agree that a central Portland location is necessary, the actual location will involve broad public discussion with a timeline yet to be determined.

CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW LARGER VERSION

DESIGNED BY FOSLER PORTLAND ARCHITECTURE

Key Elements: (refer to stadium image)
1. Water Taxi Station with elevators to Broadway Bridge
2. Parking Garage (mostly below stadium level) - 5 levels. Approx. 3,500 spaces. Rooftop greenspace with storm water swale. Plant test garden
3. Existing Light Industrial - City Water Bureau
4. New Light Industrial
5. New Mixed Use - 6-9 story
6. New Ballpark - Loosely designed around Pac Bell. Seats 40,000. Roughly half below and half above ground design
7. MAX (lightrail) Storage Tracks - Under ballpark (10 trains)
8. New Office/Condos Tower - 15-18 story
9. Gameday Plaza/Ballpark Homeplate entry
10. Full Height Atrium with year-round attractions - Possible restaurants, etc
11. Ballpark Entry - Under N. Larabee Ave. into Atrium
12. Field Level Plaza and MAX Station
13. "Winter Garden" Ballpark Entry at NE Broadway
14. Existing Storage Building - Rehab/Reuse
15. New Mixed Use - 10 story
16. New Apartment Building
17. Existing Paramount Apartments
18. MAX Platforms - 2 tracks (North bound to Expo center/South bound to downtown Portland)
19. Existing Parking Structures - (Rose Garden Parking)
20. Future Mixed Use
21. Existing Commercial
22. Public Park - Outfield "forest" with streetcar stop.
23. Observation Tower with Elevator - Pedestrian Access Point
24. Broadway Bridge - With Pedestrian Promenade to Union Station (train station - Amtrak) and west side River District
25. Streetcar Line to west side River District
26. Streetcar Line to Emanuel Hospital and Eliot neighborhood - Widen overpass for bike and Pedestrian Promenade.
27. Future Streetcar Line to Lloyd District
28. MAX line to Expo center, Vancouver WA.
29. MAX line transfer to downtown Portland, or Hillsboro (west) and Gresham (east)
30. New Pedestrian/Bike Promenade - Eliot to Broadway Bridge
31. Public Plaza - Residential Parking below
32. Upper Concourse - Year-round public Promenade and city walk view gallery.

Draft Criteria:
A major league baseball park, constructed at any location within the Portland central city area, should be conceived, funded and constructed according to the following criteria.

1. Transit
Light rail and streetcar transit systems are to be improved and constructed as part of the stadium project, designed with the capacity and ability to carry at least 60% of full capacity ballpark attendance. Capital improvements for transit are to be funded as part of ballpark project, including platforms, pedestrian access and additional track as necessary for staging extra trains to handle exiting crowds.

2. Parking
Structured parking should accommodate approximately four thousand cars near or adjacent to the ballpark. Parking is to be managed and priced to encourage or require at least four persons per vehicle. Similar strategies should be applied to existing area shared parking facilities. The cost of adjacent neighborhood parking management programs is to be carried by ballpark development

3. Pedestrian & Bicycle Access
Pedestrian-ways and bike-ways are to be integrated into the ballpark site area design, with positive connections to key adjacent civic and neighborhood features. Views from and views into ballpark are to be provided as part of an enhanced and active greenway between the river and the ballpark area and Central City neighborhoods.

4. Multi-functional Concourses
The multi-level concourses are the primary viewing galleries for river, city and west hills views from the ballpark. Concourses are designed to accommodate and enhance non-baseball activities. Functions, such as restaurants, shops, performance spaces (theaters, concerts), wintergarden/atrium and upper level outdoor pedestrian promenades are open to the public during non-event periods

5. Bulk and Scale
The site topography features should allow the ballpark structure to be set at a low elevation giving the exterior appearance of a 4 to 6 story building, not the more typical 8 to 12 story structure. If covered, the ballpark's roof should be a new-generation 'convertible' fabric cover to avoid the overwhelming scale of typical structured retractable roofs.

6. Urban Streetscape
The street frontages of the ballpark site are to be developed to Central City standards to be urban scale multi-use activity generators, including storefronts, cafes, living/working spaces, etc. Buildings adjacent to the ballpark are to be developed simultaneously with ballpark construction.

7. Ballpark as a Community Amenity
Neighborhood amenities are to be included in the immediate ballpark area, including housing, with parks and greenspaces, pedestrian and bike overpasses of freeways and major arterials with access to the riverfront and bridges. Retain, protect and reinforce adjacent uses, including light industrial, small commercial and residential communities.

8. Ballpark as a "Green building"
Incorporate stormwater re-use, onsite sanitary pre-treatment, greenspace/stormwater-filtering/plant test garden on the parking structure roof-deck. Incorporate natural air flows from baseball field through concourses as natural air-conditioning. Retain rainwater for irrigation of field and landscaped areas.

9. Ballpark as Urban Design Experience
Public viewpoints and promenades open to the public at non-baseball times. The ballpark structure designed as a civic building, not simply a sports facility. A public 'winter garden', dramatic architectural spaces, mid-rise Main Street scaled frontages, open views into ballpark, Oregon Forest corner park and picnic area, all integrated into new urban fabric of, for the prototype example, the Rose Quarter, Eliot and Lower Albina Neighborhoods, Lloyd District and eastside and westside riverfronts.

10. A New Concept
No major league ballparks yet constructed have met or attempted to meet all these criteria. A Central Portland Major League Baseball Park would be a unique, 'Next-Generation' ballpark, based on comprehensive urban design, mixed-use neighborhood and regional/local transit requirements, rather than the automobile orientation and stadium-only development common with traditional and modern ballparks.