Sign our petition Today...

Remediation of the Gillette Building on Saint Paul's Lowertown ballpark site has begun. Should you care? Yes. After Gillette's remediation is completed in June, we have a choice: demolish it to build a ballpark that will sit underused much of the year, or refurbish it for a ballpark and something far greater and beneficial to Saint Paul and Minnesota.

View the petition and submit your vote....
by clicking here.

Also visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lowertown-Ballpark-A-New-Perspective/622053154477717

A picture's worth a thousand words... Saint Paul's leaders continue to say Gillette is unattractive so let's tear it down.  The fact is, if we tear this building down, the view beyond will be of the traffic on the Lafayette Bridge, the sense of intimacy Lowertown has will be gone.

Both of these illustrations can become reality, or any number of other possibilities, within the City's $54 million budget.  Below the new pedestrian entrance at the end of Fifth Street is a proposed vehicle entrance into a 500 stall parking lot in the building's lower-level; a recent revision to the plan based upon more community input. 

The Minnesota Cricket Assoc: http://www.minnesotacricket.com/ has seen the Gillette building re-use concept. They like it!  Their schedule could accommodate the Saints and other regularly scheduled activities in a Lowertown ballpark.  Fort Lauderdale, FL is the only city with a major stadium for its regional Cricket league.  Minnesota's Cricket league is now 30 teams strong.

Below the Gillette building re-use site plan concept, and the FL Cricket field. Conversion of the Saints ballfield into a Cricket field (150x130 yard oval) can be done in a short amount of time.

We continue to encourage Mayor Coleman to expand the City's vision for what could occur on the Lowertown ballpark site: a unique multiple-use, year-round attraction for Minnesota's Capital City.

Lowertown Ballpark Update: Bidding for the Ballpark accepted! Ballpark Design meeting thus Postponed?

Will this bidding process: http://www.twincities.com/stpaul/ci_21792292/st-paul-put-design-saints-ballpark-out-bid, which begins November 30th, be limited to the actual construction of the ballpark project, or include conceptual ballpark facility designs?

Here is our newest video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1-BGEfMy4I&feature=youtu.be. Christin and Bill discuss this bidding process and why the first 'Lowertown Ballpark Design and Construction Committee' meeting, October 18th, was subsequently postponed. Will this group be expected to pre-approve the city's plans being the July 2012 City Council resolution states it will have "... a focus on ensuring that a livable and economically viable neighborhood is maintained throughout the construction process and after the ballpark is open" or will they actually have a say in its 'design' and be allowed to seek community input as well?

 

Ok, here are the links to new interview videos with Bill, Christin and Bill:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5lTpCFIquw&feature=plcp

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX4Clyl4VFY&feature=BFa&list=HL1348238671
 

 Some still say the Gillette building in Lowertown is so unattractive it should be torn down rather than be reused for a ballpark facility or anything else... The building above was once similar in appearance, some said tear it down, it was ugly.  Then along came Holiday Inn who bought it from Days Inn.  They added a new 'skin' to the building, then doubled the room rates!

Here's a bit more 'conceptual' information for you.  The illustrations above and below are cross-section views of the Gillette building repurposed as a ballpark-amphitheatre-multiple-use facility.  They are just part of the building's available space.  To learn more visit the Power-Point presentation on the left side of this page. 

A memorable video you need to see today and share with others who care about Saint Paul.  Click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZdnx5yWCMA