Judge Rules Tiger Stadium Demolition Can Proceed

**EastsideAl** · June-11-09, 01:18 PM

Comerica is ugly, tacky, soulless, and worse than that, a pretty lousy place to watch a baseball game. I went once when the place first opened, and again with a friend when the team was in the pennant race a few years ago, which only confirmed my first impression. I won't be going back.

I was in Tiger Stadium hundreds of times from the time I was 5 years old, and looked forward to each and every visit. The place had history, atmosphere, and the best close-in views of the game of any park in baseball. Those who dismiss its architecture, or take the passion of us fans for the place as mere nostalgia, know nothing about watching actual baseball games. The only real problem the place had was all of those posts. But then I notice that the Texas Rangers built their faux-historical ballpark to actually duplicate the right field stands at Tiger Stadium, posts and all.

I might not object to the new ballpark so much had they built something with some historical flavor or character, and had designed it with the actual viewing of baseball games in mind [[although I still would object to the final, ridiculously wasteful and unnecessary, destruction of Tiger Stadium). Instead the Tigers seemed to have gone out of their way to avoid nearly any feel of the old ballpark or reference to the history of the team there - almost like the place is a big "F_U" to those who loved the old stadium. Other teams, like Texas and Baltimore, went out of their way to build ballparks that had some reference to the history of the game, and many new stadia, like Baltimore's, were built to fit in with and enhance the urban fabric and feel of a big city. But what we got was a shining new suburban shopping mall food court of a ballpark, which is cookie-cutter bland in pretty much every respect, and, worst of all, where the game itself is only a rumor from many of the seats.

**Flanders** · June-11-09, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Comerica is ugly, tacky, soulless, and worse than that, a pretty lousy place to watch a baseball game. I went once when the place first opened, and again with a friend when the team was in the pennant race a few years ago, which only confirmed my first impression. I won't be going back.

I was in Tiger Stadium hundreds of times from the time I was 5 years old, and looked forward to each and every visit. The place had history, atmosphere, and the best close-in views of the game of any park in baseball. Those who dismiss its architecture, or take the passion of us fans for the place as mere nostalgia, know nothing about watching actual baseball games. The only real problem the place had was all of those posts. But then I notice that the Texas Rangers built their faux-historical ballpark to actually duplicate the right field stands at Tiger Stadium, posts and all.

I might not object to the new ballpark so much had they built something with some historical flavor or character, and had designed it with the actual viewing of baseball games in mind [[although I still would object to the final, ridiculously wasteful and unnecessary, destruction of Tiger Stadium). Instead the Tigers seemed to have gone out of their way to avoid nearly any feel of the old ballpark or reference to the history of the team there - almost like the place is a big "F_U" to those who loved the old stadium. Other teams, like Texas and Baltimore, went out of their way to build ballparks that had some reference to the history of the game, and many new stadia, like Baltimore's, were built to fit in with and enhance the urban fabric and feel of a big city. But what we got was a shining new suburban shopping mall food court of a ballpark, which is cookie-cutter bland in pretty much every respect, and, worst of all, where the game itself is only a rumor from many of the seats.

Likewise, I went to a game at Tiger Stadium in it's final year 1999, and then a game at CoPa in 2000. It was so alien to me, being seated so distant from the field, and I resented all of the references, kiosks, and banners to Tigers teams and players of the past, who never played there. I had no emotional connection to the team or the park, might as well have been at a Rockies/Marlins game. I have never gone back, although I have warmed up to the Tigers' teams since '05, of course.

**kraig** · June-11-09, 01:59 PM

I bet there are going to be some grandchildren and great-grandchildren of some of you posters that say you hate Comerica Park that are going to form a conservancy to save it decades from now.

**R8RBOB** · June-11-09, 02:31 PM

I stated in an earlier post that I was in the minority about the end of Tiger Stadium. I support the decision to tear the remaining structure that is currently standing. No where in the US has a former baseball or football stadium has been used for something other than an event. Stadiums serve one purpose: to host events. The OTSC and groups before them were thinking with their hearts, not with their heads. Like most of you I don't support a vacant lot. I do understand the frustration about removing the stadium and having nothing come behind it.

Yesterday, I was driving west on Joy Road where I came across a huge lot of land which once was the Herman Gardens projects. For anyone who knows the "D" know about Herman Gardens.[[I can remember the Southfield bus going thru the projects) I remember how TPTB tore down all the structures on that land and there was promises to build new affordable houses on the land. This was back in the 90's and yet the land is still empty. Because of this non-development, the buildings on Joy that once were businesses closes their doors and the buildings have gone into decay. The gas station on the corner Southfield and Joy: closed and also in decay.

I said Tiger Stadium should have been torn down 9 years ago. I should have added that there should have been a real plan to develop the property after the Tigers left. The City, Mike Ilitch, anyone who had something to do with Tiger Stadium is at fault for letting the stadium sit empty. Just like Herman Gardens, TPTB decided to make up plans on the fly, meanwhile the years passed by and the stadium just decayed. The Tigers and the city could have solved the problem about what to do with the land by building Comerica Park next to Tiger Stadium and knock down Tiger Stadium for the new parking lot but this is Detroit and in Detroit EVERYTHING has to be difficult

**EastsideAl** · June-11-09, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

I stated in an earlier post that I was in the minority about the end of Tiger Stadium. I support the decision to tear the remaining structure that is currently standing. No where in the US has a former baseball or football stadium has been used for something other than an event. Stadiums serve one purpose: to host events. The OTSC and groups before them were thinking with their hearts, not with their heads. Like most of you I don't support a vacant lot. I do understand the frustration about removing the stadium and having nothing come behind it.

I agree that the OTSC's neo-Navin Field plan was a longshot. But if it had worked then this city and this area would have had something special. And you are a little wrong when you say that no old stadiums have been reused, I can think of the old Braves Field that was used for many years by Boston University for football [[as Nickerson Field), and after they dropped the sport has been successfully downsized and re-purposed for soccer. In San Diego Balboa Stadium, and in San Francisco Kezar Stadium have both been reconfigured from their pro football size and are still in use for high school football, soccer, track meets, and concerts.

Again, it would have been a longshot for this plan to have worked. But instead of having something potentially special and historically interesting, they were seemingly in a gigantic unstoppable hurry to turn it into just another example of all that's least special and most depressing about this city: another vacant lot. And nothing bothers me more about this - not the nostalgia of thousands, not the loss of structure itself, not the cheap crappy replacement, not the decades of history now irretrievably lost - than the fact that we end up with nothing but another wonderful, useless, stupid vacant lot as a monument to the idiotic lack of productive vision and respect for our history that has plagued this city throughout my life.

Hey, but "demolition is progress."

**R8RBOB** · June-11-09, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

I agree that the OTSC's neo-Navin Field plan was a longshot. But if it had worked then this city and this area would have had something special. And you are a little wrong when you say that no old stadiums have been reused, I can think of the old Braves Field that was used for many years by Boston University for football [[as Nickerson Field), and after they dropped the sport has been successfully downsized and re-purposed for soccer. In San Diego Balboa Stadium, and in San Francisco Kezar Stadium have both been reconfigured from their pro football size and are still in use for high school football, soccer, track meets, and concerts.

No, I'm right about reusing stadiums. Let me paste the quote. "No where in the US has a former baseball or football stadium has been used for something other than an event." Focus on the word "event." I am fully aware that stadiums can be reused as stadiums for another sports venue. Sports is considered an event. I was referring to the off-the-wall ideas for Tiger Stadium. Retail, condos, office space, a museum for Ernie Harwell baseball collection!!!! These ideas would have worked if a plan was designed to knock the stadium down and use the land to build retail shops, build housing even have Ernie's museum with the Tigers as a partner.

**sherryrazor** · June-18-09, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

I agree that the OTSC's neo-Navin Field plan was a longshot. But if it had worked then this city and this area would have had something special. And you are a little wrong when you say that no old stadiums have been reused, I can think of the old Braves Field that was used for many years by Boston University for football [[as Nickerson Field), and after they dropped the sport has been successfully downsized and re-purposed for soccer. In San Diego Balboa Stadium, and in San Francisco Kezar Stadium have both been reconfigured from their pro football size and are still in use for high school football, soccer, track meets, and concerts.

Again, it would have been a longshot for this plan to have worked. But instead of having something potentially special and historically interesting, they were seemingly in a gigantic unstoppable hurry to turn it into just another example of all that's least special and most depressing about this city: another vacant lot. And nothing bothers me more about this - not the nostalgia of thousands, not the loss of structure itself, not the cheap crappy replacement, not the decades of history now irretrievably lost - than the fact that we end up with nothing but another wonderful, useless, stupid vacant lot as a monument to the idiotic lack of productive vision and respect for our history that has plagued this city throughout my life.

Hey, but "demolition is progress."

Just back from the "harvesting operation" being done at Mich & Trumbull.

Would it surprise anyone here to know that the Security Co. that OTSC has paid for through 6/30/09 has been replaced by "unpaid volunteers" of off-duty Detroit Police/Wayne Co. Sheriffs? They tell anyone who asks that they are volunteers, but after talking to a few folks in the know, and confronting them myself, I realized what was going down. The "volunteer security" guys on one of the golf carts had quite a chuckle when I threatened to call the police Monday night. Now I know why they laughed in my face in reply....and all this time, I thought it was Farrow doing the harvesting.

That's what the "volunteer security" team a/k/a off-duty Det. City Police/Wayne Co. Sheriffs are doing right now -- harvesting seats and anything else of value they can get their hands on before the Fat Lady Sings, and stuffing it in their vans, and Farrow tractor trailers. Paver bricks from plaza are still on pallets, covered in plastic. [[They must have about 50 pallets by now, stacked at what used to be Ilitch's Plaza).

This is from reliable sources, folks. Talked to a dude tonight who wanted to buy a row of seats & he told me his brother is a Detroit City cop. He was allowed in the Ballpark last week to take photos, but they wouldn't sell him anything then. He came back for a row of seats, and didn't offer enough $$ -- e.g., $1000 -- so they are blowing him off.

Since no "agreements" are being enforced with regard to the security co. OTSC paid for, it's a veritable FREE FOR ALL.

Guess everything will end up on ebay to the highest bidder.

As Jack said -- "THAT'S CHINATOWN".

**Rob** · June-11-09, 02:44 PM

Tiger Stadium was a dump, but my god did Tiger Stadium ooze character. The three cramped, all encompassing decks made it feel like baseball was the only reason to be there. You walked in and all you could see was grass and seats. No skyline, no Pepsi Porch, no restaurants or souvenir shops stood out. You never saw a pop fly go up and then think, "huh, when did they change the huge Verizon advertisement on the side of the building". So many seats right on top of the players. And even if the seats were empty at least the tall stadium provided a sense of scale for the flyballs and homers. You could feel the history in the old, smelly, rusting structure.

I'm not sad they are tearing down the stadium. It's over. I'm only sad that there is nothing... nothing visually at Comerica that will ever remind me of the feeling of being at Tiger Stadium. There isn't one seat in the upper deck I like to sit in. The upperdeck starts were the lower deck ends! It is nice to be able to view the game from anywhere, but again isn't that what a good seat is for? It's as if the designer conceded the fact that most people would hate their seat and made tons of standing room as a result. Perhaps the original Tiger Stadium preservationists should have cut their losses early and sided with the owner. Concentrated their efforts on influencing the design of the new park.