Plans are moving forward for development surrounding Four Winds Field, as key partners are joining the initiative.
The home of the South Bend Cubs (Low A; Sally League) will soon be surrounded by Berlin Place, an area that includes 120 apartment units, plus 10,000 square feet of retail space. Additionally, Bare Hands Brewery is joining the area, as it will take over a building one block from Four Winds Field.
Due to some action from the South Bend Redevelopment Commission, the project has taken two major steps forward. Firstly, the board agreed to chip in $3.4 million to the $21 million project, a contribution that covers costs such as infrastructure improvements. It also sold the one-time Gates Service Center building to Bare Hands for $1, an agreement that is contingent on the brewery investing $1 million in the structure over a five-year period.
For Cubs owner Andrew Berlin, it is now a matter of figuring out which amenities will fit into the space. More from the South Bend Tribune:
Details have yet to be worked out, but rental rates will be “competitive” with the local market, Berlin said.
Twenty-eight of the 120 apartments will face the field, he said, and include balconies with “enough room to entertain.”
A rooftop party deck will overlook left field on one of the buildings, he said, with 360-degree views of the stadium and downtown.
As far as retail space, Berlin said he envisions a full-service restaurant with views of the ballpark as well as a supermarket, pharmacy or convenience store — what he referred to as “relevant retail.”
The restaurant may also provide room service for residents, he said.
There has been more development of this type popping up around ballparks in recent years, including apartments surrounding Birmingham’s Regions Field and Lansing’s Cooley Law School Stadium. Another Midwest League rival, the Dayton Dragons, are also seeing development occur around their home field, so it looks for now that existing areas surrounding some minor league parks will continue to see economic activity. Berlin Place is currently slated to open in 2018.