Since the ballpark’s demolition, the site of the old Tiger Stadium in Detroit has been home to the actual field itself, which is maintained by the volunteer group called the Navin Field Grounds Crew. If you want to, you can go to the corner of Michigan and Trumbull and play some baseball there, on the site that Greenberg, Kaline, Trammell and Deivi Cruz once roamed.
Of course, it’s not their property, and the folks who own the property -- the City of Detroit -- would like to see the site developed, because that’s what cities and landowners like. There have been various proposals over the years, relevant to the public mostly insofar as the development plans provide for the preservation of the field. Some have, some haven’t.
Now it appears that a developer and a plan has finally been put in place. And yes it does provide for the preservation of the field. From the Freep:The City of Detroit is to announce Tuesday that it has selected Larson Realty Group to redevelop the Tiger Stadium site, choosing a proposal that will not only preserve the historic playing field, but add residential and commercial space.
Two local developers, Roxbury Group of Detroit, and the Larson Realty Group of Bloomfield Hills, responded to the city’s March request for proposals with plans for a mixed-use development including retail and residential space, but multiple sources told the Free Press that Larson had been selected.
Renderings of it can be seen here.
I grew up going to that ballpark. And, a couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of playing catch and taking some basic BP at Tiger Stadium. I know nostalgia can be toxic and future marches ever-onward, but I do hope that that site can be maintained in some way that allows for others to experience, in some way, all the good stuff I was fortunate enough to experience there.
