Two plans for development of the old Tiger Stadium site — comprising some $44 million in investments — have won initial approval from the Detroit Economic Development Corp.
The two plans call for preservation of the Tiger Stadium playing field, which would be used for high-school and college baseball. The largest investment, some $33 million from Larson Realty, is for a mixed-use development along Michigan Avenue.
The private $33 million plan by Larson Realty Group of Bloomfield Hills was given the green light Tuesday. It includes a four-story building along Michigan Avenue with about 30,000 square-feet of retail and 102 residential rental units. Along Trumbull Avenue, 24 town homes are planned that could be for-sale products and intended as homages to the historic town homes of Corktown. The project is being called The Corner and there is a website: revivethecorner.com.
The Detroit PAL plan is an $11 million effort that will preserve the baseball diamond and see a new headquarters built for the nonprofit dedicated to youth sports.
It’s a historic location, to be sure. After rain delays, 23,000-seat Navin Field opened April 20, 1912 — the same date as Fenway Park. After the opening of Comerica Park, Tiger Stadium was torn down in two separate runs: most of the ballpark was torn down before the Navin Field grandstand enjoyed a brief respite, coming down for good on June 30, 2008. Since then the Tiger Stadium playing field has been maintained by volunteers.
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