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.
Larson’s plan calls for smaller retail along Michigan Avenue, as well as a mix of for-rent and for-sale housing.
Detroit PAL reached agreement with the city in July to build its new headquarters and related facilities on the western and northern edges of the site while preserving the historic playing field for youth sports.
Along the Cochrane Avenue side of the site, PAL would build its new headquarters that would employ up to 30 people. Detroit PAL would maintain the playing field for youth sports, including high school and college baseball.
Larson’s proposal will take up the rest of the site at Michigan and Trumbull.
This rendering shows how developer Eric Larson’s “The Corner” fills Michigan/Trumbull frontages, preserving field(Photo: Detroit Economic Growth Corp.)
“Like everyone else, we look forward to seeing the details of the Larson proposal,” said Dave Mesrey of the Navin Field Grounds Crew, which has worked to preserve the playing field. “What we’d like to see preserved are the field’s historic dimensions, the natural grass, and continued public access. In the meantime, we plan to continue picking up the trash and maintaining the site, as we’ve done since 2010.”
Both Larson Realty Group and Roxbury have long track records working in the downtown area. Larson was involved in the redevelopment of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education (also known as the Argonaut Building) in New Center. Larson was also involved in One Detroit Center, the Millender Center, Orchestra Place and the Madison Theatre Building.
Image of Detroit PAL HQ shown at DEGC offices this morning, part of old Tiger Stadium plan.(Photo: Detroit Economic Growth Corp.)
The Roxbury Group is redeveloping the David Whitney Building on Grand Circus Park, which is to reopen this month, and the Auburn in Midtown.
Professional baseball was first played on the site, at a 5,000-seat ballpark known as Bennett Park, on April 28, 1896 — three years before Detroit even had an auto plant. The field, named after fan favorite Charlie Bennett, was built on the former site of a municipal hay market. The park was razed after the 1911 season and replaced with 23,000-seat Navin Field. The ballpark as we know it today opened April 20, 1912, the same day as Fenway Park in Boston — and six days after the RMS Titanic sank.
