Saturday, May 13, 2000
Architects criticize ballpark design
By Robert Anglen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Three local architects who wanted a baseball park at Broadway Commons have reservations about designers' vision for a new Reds park along the riverfront.
But another original Broadway Commons backer says he's been convinced that the HOK Sport design succeeds on the river.
“Overall, it's bland,” said David Scheer, principal of Scheer and Scheer Inc. “It's sort of urban, it's sort of retro, it's sort of contemporary. It's a lot of "sort of.'”
Acknowledging the $280 million ballpark fits the local landscape much better than its riverfront neighbor, Paul Brown Stadium, the archi tects think the Reds park fails to deliver on promises to connect fans to the river and the city.
“It's light years ahead of Paul Brown, but it doesn't know what it is trying to do,” Mr. Scheer said.
A teacher of urban planning and architecture at the University of Cincinnati, David Gosling said the ballpark taps into Cincinnati's most important element: The Ohio River.
“They have opened up an arena to the river,” he said, adding that the designs pro vide a good transition from downtown high rises to river front setting.
“I think they have come out with a beautiful design,” said Mr. Gosling, a State of Ohio Eminent Scholar in urban design. “The development is done in contemporary architecture with a gesture to retro architecture, with references to the old stadium.”
Architect Thomas Fernandez does not see the connection with the river.
“It's not connected at all,” said Mr. Fernandez, an architect with Steed, Hammond, Paul. “What's on the inside of the park that makes it so special? A baseball field?”
In a video presentation, stadium designers HOK Sport of Kansas City, Mo., make a point of tying the history of Crosley Field to the new design.
They envision a bas relief sculpture at the entrance, a large area reminiscent of Crosley (with four player statues), seating elements mindful of Crosley and a replica of the Longines clock at the former West End park.
But Mr. Fernandez said none of the outfield terraces that made Crosley unique have been incorporated.
“I have problems with the context of this,” said Mark Costello, a project architect with Steed, Hammond, Paul. “I don't see that it is connected.”
The style of the park is very modern, with steel supports in the main seating bowl, and the only urban features are the outbuildings housing the team's Hall of Fame, store, retail space and administrative offices.
“That is a mistake,” Mr. Costello said.
While the city's Urban Design Review Board has privately re viewed ball park designs several times, none of the members would comment.
Of chief concern among the three critics was the use of public space at the entrance to the ballpark. While the outbuildings form an efficient entryway, the architects said it appears as if it was designed with economics in mind — simply to “catch the crowd” and draw them into a concession row.
Instead they envisioned a more open public forum, with the outbuildings moved closer to the stadium or across the street to avoid an enclosed feeling.
“I object to the privatization of public space,” Mr. Scheer said.
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