Richmond Braves Baseball Stadium Proposals

[Cadeho]

By the way guys, the water treatment plant doesn't smell. You would think it would. But if it did, no one would go to Ancarrow's Landing or stand to visit Rocketts. What smells is a site almost a mile south of it and I have no idea what the heck it is, but depending on how the wind blows, you can smell it near the river or as far away as Williamsburg and Laburnam. Sometimes I can smell it at my house. But it is NOT the water treatment plant as I had thought before.

And there is an outlet from there that smells like laundry. I didn't want to leave it!

I have always favored the Norfolk Southern yard site at the foot of the Manchester Bridge if there was a need to move. Also, it doesn't stink either. The paper mill is to the east of the site. I take pics there all the time. But I was told by a friend who works for the railroads and said that yard is an important link to the west and they would never sell it and said that the city couldn't afford it. I said they can keep the tracks close to the floodwall. I told him it is a shame to have such a wonderful vista not for public use.

[JWCJ]

Maybe someone should (try) to ask the mayor to see if he could build it in Manchester?

[TBurban]

Maybe someone should (try) to ask the mayor to see if he could build it in Manchester?

If I had his email address, I would

[TBurban]

By the way guys, the water treatment plant doesn't smell. You would think it would. But if it did, no one would go to Ancarrow's Landing or stand to visit Rocketts. What smells is a site almost a mile south of it and I have no idea what the heck it is, but depending on how the wind blows, you can smell it near the river or as far away as Williamsburg and Laburnam. Sometimes I can smell it at my house. But it is NOT the water treatment plant as I had thought before.

And there is an outlet from there that smells like laundry. I didn't want to leave it!

Now that I have clarification that the sewege/water treatment/"stink zone" doesnt totally smell Heres my final vision of that areas ballpark/mixed use development. Promise that I wont post anymore plans, unless requested. Plus, Im running out of space on my monthly uploads on flickr

Black= sound wall/barrier

Green= landscaping

White= roads and interstate I-95

Red= ballpark and mixed use

[wrldcoupe4]

That could work... or what if the Southern States Silos site was replaced by a ballpark?

[TBurban]

That could work... or what if the Southern States Silos site was replaced by a ballpark?

S.S. and the effected areas I couldnt help myself

[Cadeho]

Tommy, I wouldn't go by maps. Use live local. That site is way too small for that kind of development plus you're knocking down part of the floodwall.

[Cadeho]

Now that I have clarification that the sewege/water treatment/"stink zone" doesnt totally smell Heres my final vision of that areas ballpark/mixed use development. Promise that I wont post anymore plans, unless requested. Plus, Im running out of space on my monthly uploads on flickr

Black= sound wall/barrier

Green= landscaping

White= roads and interstate I-95

Red= ballpark and mixed use

No no no!

I'd love to have the water treatment plant moved but that area is fine as it is.

[burt]

I like the area north of Legends between Manchester and Mayo Bridges. It could be built over the N/S tracks. And the grandstand would face directly toward Downtown.

[Cadeho]

Good idea Burt! I didn't think of being built OVER the tracks! Having an elevated stadium that kind of looks over the floodwall at the river. Now if a home run ball goes into the river, I can see our favorite treehugger super-poster elsewhere pitching a fit.

[wrldcoupe4]

Maybe we could use water soluble, recycled, naturally grown, solar powered, biodegradeable baseballs! They'd have to be approved by the green party of course too

[TBurban]

Maybe we could use water soluble, recycled, naturally grown, solar powered, biodegradeable baseballs! They'd have to be approved by the green party of course too

Haha! I wish there could be a way to build it on Mayo. Couldnt they just build an exit off the Mayo Bridge, and surround the island with a decent sized flood wall? They could cover the floodwall with posters like they did with that part of the Canal Walk floodwall. I think that would look awesome! Having the pictures of past Braves games on those huge posters on the flood wall facing the stadium, there could be enough room for mixed use space on the island as well. I wish they would consider Mayo Isle.

[JWCJ]

It's possible it would just cost SOME MULA!

[Cadeho]

Haha! I wish there could be a way to build it on Mayo. Couldnt they just build an exit off the Mayo Bridge, and surround the island with a decent sized flood wall? They could cover the floodwall with posters like they did with that part of the Canal Walk floodwall. I think that would look awesome! Having the pictures of past Braves games on those huge posters on the flood wall facing the stadium, there could be enough room for mixed use space on the island as well. I wish they would consider Mayo Isle.

Tommy I am sorry to be like Simon again. I walked Mayo Island yesterday and I think it should be turned into a park, a place where fishermen can happily congregate as they do now without trespassing. On the western end, there is this giant parking area overrun by vines and darn box elder bugs. Who knows who lives over there too! But I wouldn't mind seeing it used for outside concerts again. A stadium might be too big for the island although it used to have one.

[TBurban]

Tommy I am sorry to be like Simon again. I walked Mayo Island yesterday and I think it should be turned into a park, a place where fishermen can happily congregate as they do now without trespassing. On the western end, there is this giant parking area overrun by vines and darn box elder bugs. Who knows who lives over there too! But I wouldn't mind seeing it used for outside concerts again. A stadium might be too big for the island although it used to have one.

Well then, if your my Simon, wheres my Paula?

[wrldcoupe4]

You know I was thinking about this last night when I was trying to go to sleep. Instead of a baseball stadium (realistically, if flooding is an argument against shockoe bottom and Fulton, I can only imagine what they'd say about a stadium proposal in the middle of the river), I think Mayo would be a good place for a regional symbol to be built (ex. St. louis has its arch). Developing, establishing, and building a regional symbol is one of the goals of area leaders. It would at least be a good spot for the first freedom monument.

[Downtowner]

I would really like to see the ballpark elswhere than Mayo Island I think on mayo island we ought to build a land mark statue but wouldn't know what of you something like the statue of liberty. Hey I know what we could do build a huge statue on mayo island of Mayor Wilder.

[TBurban]

How about, a monument dedicated to the James. Like, on Mayo Island, you have "THE JAMES" in big letters in sculpture 3D form. Then from the tops of the letters, you have waterfalls so the letters constantly have water flowing from them. Then in front of the letters, you have some design with bricks as the ground, and have those fountains that shoot water up like Centennial Park in Atlanta. At night, the letters would light up, visible from the I-95 bridge. There could be a park around the monument and it would all be dedicated to the James.

[Cadeho]

I've envisioned a monument at the eastern end of the island where the lottery billboard is. We can build a tower that has letters on it, maybe even LED display (not like that changing billboard near Philip Morris), that says, "GATEWAY TO THE SOUTH" for those going southbound and for those going northbound, "GATEWAY TO THE NORTH." We can put an observation deck on top and a spire or something. Wilder had mention months ago (oddly wasn't covered on the forums) that he wanted us to have a motto or something saying, "Gateway to the South." Heck we can put "Gateway to the South" on the Southern States silos.

Oh Burt's our Paula and Coupe's our Randy... dogg.

[TBurban]

Oh Burt's our Paula and Coupe's our Randy... dogg.

Well I guess that means Im the horrible singer getting torn apart

[JWCJ]

Well, it was OK dude.

[TBurban]

Ahh, Ive finally found out how to work this live.local program

Possible Ballpark?

[Cadeho]

Well you're going to have to get the hang on the links though. I clicked and got the map of the US with 1 on Richmond. Had to zoom in and birds eye view it.

CSX probably won't give up any of its land there. That rail yard needs to shrink through because there are a lot of unused areas in it. But I'm not in favor of any move to Fulton. Besides, that site's mainly in Henrico.

[TBurban]

Ok guys, correct me if Im wrong, but on NBC12 this morning, they mentioned the Braves are staying at the Diamond!! VCU is building a sports complex and will renovate the Arthur Ashe Center to be big enough for the Braves and other teams to practice in. There is mixed use involved with this sports complex. When they showed it to scale, the proposed VCU sports complex was twice the size of the Diamond! This was announced after Wilder stated he's given up on Fulton, the Bottom and other places. If they wanna stay, theyll renovate the Daimond, and bring back life with condos, retail, office space all along the Boulevard!! More news as this story develops.......

Found it!

http://www.nbc12.com/sports/state/2768726.html

[wrldcoupe4]

haha I wish they'd build a new stadium next to the diamond and tear the diamond down as part of this plan.

We still haven't heard from the A-braves about this yet, so who knows what will happen. Still, I've said for a long time there is a ton of potential at the Boulevard site, especially for creating a large Sports and Entertainment District. Maybe the Kickers could have a stadium there eventually...