Buried within Howard Bryant’s excellent ESPN.com column on Friday was a photo gallery. I skimmed through it but didn’t notice the four three new renders (thanks Different James for pointing this out). Without further ado, here are the new renders – and commence the “colonnade” discussion.
Easily the best pic of the colonnade (minisuites) we've seen yet. Notice the bullpens on the left and how the seating decks meet the colonnade.
High up above CF, sort of like the front row of the upper deck of Mt. Davis but better.
Aerial shot includes surrounding buildings, including one that has already been demolished.
View from LF corner party suites toward downtown San Jose. I'm sure the placement of these suites is not a coincidence. Not shown: Planes flying in barely above Adobe HQ. Also: This image was part of the August 2010 release.
It’s really amazing how much the San Jose version of Cisco Field is unlike the Fremont version. The only element that has carried over is the roof. Also, I don’t know if these renderings have really gotten across how compact the place is. Sure, it’s easy to divine that from a 32-36,000 capacity. It’s much harder to get the feel, though. Sometimes I walk by the site and I wonder how they can fit it in there, despite the amount of time I’ve spent looking at it. Yet there it is.
newballpark.org 
I think part of the ‘compactness’ comes being used to the sheer size of the Coliseum. From where we were sitting near the top of the Value Deck you can easily see the roundness of the place–a true Coliseum, minus the Roman columns. Removing all that foul ground and reducing the angle of the seating bowl near home from circular to almost a rounded diamond is a huge visual change.
My fingers are crossed that the reason Wolff has gone ahead and had all these drawings done and spent all this $$ is because he is pretty sure this ballpark in San Jose is going to happen…
the brick wall in rf is a lot more curved than i thought it would be and juts more towards home plate also.
not pesky pole but looks close to it.
Simply gorgeous! Pjk, I think you hit the nail on the head. There’s sure a lot more renders of THIS Cisco Field than previous versions.
i think there were just as much renderings relased of cisco field in fremont. a’s official page at the mlb.com site has a special section with many pictures and a 3-D video of the park.
please let this happen. a’s org, players and especially fans deserve a state of the art venue. i don’t care if it’s in oakland or san jose, just get a new park and i’ll be happy. be nice if victory course could have a few renderings just to show a contrast.
regarding that rf brick wall a lot of funky bounces could happen if a ball hits the brick, course i think they’re gonna need to add padding to the lower half of the brick wall.
AT&T Park has nothing to worry about when comparing their’s to Cisco Field. They’ll still have the best park on the West coast easy. Cisco’s kind of cute I guess. Well at least they didn’t forget to put the bullpens in the outfield like AT&T did. I prefer them in the foul territry like the A’s and Giant’s have, so all can see who’s warming up.
I really like the colonnade thing. Compare it to this place and I think there might have been a little inspiration:
(Large image)
That’s Huntington Park, home of the Triple-A Columbus Clippers.
Wow, can’t stop staring at these. In my heart, I wanna believe that we are not being teased cruelly, and that this is real. I am sooooo with Pjk on this one.
@jk-stop being so jealous and hating all the time. it’s unbecoming of you and seem to be a good guy, albeit too emotionally attached to things. btw – this is your old “friend”, just had to change my handle for various reasons.
@Anon–so you’re my old buddy ST?I did say it was cute, but am not all impressed by these renderings com[ared to the other new parks. I hope it’s a whole new look/bigger capacity along with new owners at VC.
I think you can make a pretty strong argument for Petco as best on the left coast. AT&T is beautiful, no question, and does have the bay views. But Petco scores points for originality, for having a look (sandstone or whatever) that evokes the region, for having that terrific park and sandbox in the outfield, for making use of that old warehouse, for the Gaslight District, for allowing in-and-out privileges, and for the hotel attached to the ballpark.
I would prefer an Oakland site, but I could live with San Jose. Still, these are really boring images. I hope wherever the stadium ends up, the design is altered to something more appealing. Way too boring.
The Colonnade is badass. It has the potential to e as distinctive as the warehouse at Camden.
Having been to both AT&T and Petco, I’d say it’s a toss up. They are both very cool places to watch baseball.
i’d personally always thought safeco was the best pure baseball park here on the west coast. will always think pnc is the best park in all of mlb, heck all of american sports venues. even take out the great view you get beyond rf of the pit downtown skyline and the bridge beyond cf and just the park itself is the best. no bells and whistles, just a simple and well executed baseball park.
James,
Thanks for posting that pic. My first impression of these renderings was ‘looks like a triple A park.’
Seeing as how I live a short 5 minute walk to the site I’d love to be able to get off work in downtown, change, and walk to the park. However, for some reason, these renderings make the place look smaller. Made me think how tough it’d be to get a ticket here for the first few seasons. Either way, a beautiful, unique place to watch baseball.
The 2nd pic above was already released last summer.
It was posted here too.
In the minority here, I guess, but I hate the colonnade. It looks tacky.
@letsgoas “i’d personally always thought safeco was the best pure baseball park here on the west coast.”
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It’s a nice park, but I’ve been a bit underwhelmed by all the retractable roof parks I’ve visited. They all seem a bit barn-like to me, and I don’t feel I really get that “seeing a game outdoors” feeling even when the roof is open. No question, if I lived someone with brutal weather (e.g. Arizona) I’d want one, but not of them make my Top 5 list or probably even my Top 10.
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“will always think pnc is the best park in all of mlb, heck all of american sports venues. even take out the great view you get beyond rf of the pit downtown skyline and the bridge beyond cf and just the park itself is the best. no bells and whistles, just a simple and well executed baseball park.”
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No argument here; PNC is right up at the top of my list, too. My Top 5 (in no particular order) would be PNC, Wrigley, Petco, AT&T and Camden Yards.
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I’ve now been to 25 out of 30 of the current parks (plus a bunch that are now closed or no longer hosting baseball). Five more and I can say I have a fully informed opinion. Still to go: KC, St. Louis, Houston, Miami, and Atlanta.
Sadly, I’ve only been to AT&T and Fenway. For those who have been fortunate enough to experience other parks, is the focal point or main entrance to these other parks center field, or home plate? Which do you think works best. If built, looks like the focal point for Cisco Field will be center field.
If they are going to build in a High tech area with the name of a High Tech company in the outfield. They might as well go all in. Build the most high tech looking field they can design. Make the score board twice as big with a 3D image of the batter .
I think most of the newer parks built the main entrance behind home plate. recent examples of cf as the “main entrance/focal point” is min’s target field.
https://newballpark.org/2010/08/31/target-plaza/
The curve of the colonnade is what makes it so cool from my perspective-very distinctive- if this park is built you can expect those to be pricey tix- believe the Columbus ballpark that was posted was ballpark of the year in 2010- the best part of this ballpark is it is unique and relates well to the site-very intimate- still wonder what the opening is in left center between the buildings- almost seems like a future entrance- personally like the cf plaza entrance- makes for a festive atmosphere
bartleby you took the words right out of my mouth about PETCO Park. It is hands down the best park on the west coast. I’ve been to all 6 of them and it’s the best overall experience. It’s the most integrated into its surroundings which are in turn is one of the nicest neighborhoods you could ask a park to be in. It has views, it has unique traits that are actual useful to the city (ie: the Park at the Park), and you’re closer to the action than at any other park on the west coast (and arguably closer than any other park in MLB save Fenway). It has massive concourses making moving around actually pleasant unlike say at Pac Bell. And best of all is the food and beer, fish tacos and 26 different beers for everyone.
If Cisco Field ends up half as nice the A’s will do alright. All I have to say about Pac Bell is that if you take away the slough behind right field it’s at best an average park among the new ones that does not fit in with West Coast architecture one bit. I know they’re fake but I mean bricks in an earthquake zone? Did these people not see what happened to Santa Cruz in 1989? Brick are about as anti California as it gets.
A few flaws in Petco impact my impression- seats should have been rotated more so you were actually looking at the batter without turning sideways in your seat and second- slope of lower bowl has you looking into the back of someone’s head instead of a the field- other than that agree with the aesthetic comments- very cool park-
i’m sure cisco field if/when it’s built will be as high tech as you can get. you’re gonna a large high res HD video board and all the bells and whistles that most of these other parks have although i do hope they don’t go overboard. there was a youtube video of chambers a few years ago in a presenation about new technology in future parks and although don’t see the video anymore cisco field probably would have that kind of stuff mentioned in the video.
anything is better than the coliseum which the two scoreboards and video screens have probably been the same ones they installed since 1996-97. the two scoreboards placed on the facing of the 2nd deck is the last “new” thing installed at the colisuem and even then it was installed there back in 2002.
I really like the colonade concept. If executed wel, I think it will be the great defining piece of the ballpark. Having been to multiple games at Petco, I don’t think it is the best ballpark on the west coast. I hate to say it but AT&T takes the prize here. I love the location, the gaslamp and the sand box but too many other parts of the park design hamper its feel. It doesn’t even make my top 5. Let’s just hope that these renders come to fruition. I’m tired of waiting.
The “center field plaza” in the renderings is very reminiscent of Camden Yards. In San Diego the home plate gate is not all that impressive, I feel like the focal point there is the area behind right center field. The Park at the Park is the most unique thing I have seen in a park. AT&T Park’s home plate gate/plaza is pretty unimpressive when compared with the other parks equivalents. That said, you can’t remove the bay from behind right field and that is pretty awesome.
would be great if MLB said, “OK, Oakland.. Turn in your draft EIR by June 27. We need to make a decision and can’t have this stalled anymore. Let’s see what you have or we’re going to San Jose”
Maybe I’m in the minority, but I don’t like Petco at all. There’s too much overhang so the upper deck is too high and steep (I like old Tiger Stadium and such but it doesn’t work with luxury boxes) and the lower deck is too flat. Seat for seat, the views seemed to be better at Jack Murphy, believe it or not (certainly in value for ticket dollar). The club level amenities are underwhelming compared to everywhere else. The place feels as huge as the Murph did, except that it has 25,000 less seats. And the Western Metal Supply building isn’t as cool as the B&O Warehouse in Baltimore.
I would say that Dodger Stadium is the best stadium I’ve ever been to (been to Oakland, Candlestick, Jack Murphy, Kingdome, AT&T, Anaheim, Dodger, Metrodome (for football), new Yankee, Fenway, and Camden Yards. From pictures, PNC looks like about the best of the new ones.
B&O Warehouse is really, really awesome.
@ Brian What did you not like about the club amenities at Petco? I find a lot of club levels disappointing, but thought Petco’s was better than average.
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The first time I visited Petco, my kids were still in diapers. We stayed at the Omni (attached to the ballpark) and had tickets in the club level, right near the hotel bridge. One thing I LOVED about it was, Petco has in-and-out privileges, so I was able to make it to my hotel room for a quick diaper change and only miss a half inning or so of the game.
OT – KTRB is going to air ESPN Deportes, starting on Friday.
http://www.insideradio.com/Article.asp?id=2218334&spid=32061
This version of Cisco Field is compact all right. But this feature of the park will bring one benefit that the fans will appreciate , and Marine Layer, mentioned this last summer in a review of the ballpark, of how close fans will be to the action on the field. A baseball park should be shaped like a V so that park conforms to the shape of the baseball diamond itself. Here ,with Cisco Field in San Jose, the ballpark is shaped like a V and the fans will be very close to the action thanks to lack of foul territory. Watching the Angels on tv playing the Mets at Citi Field in New York this past weekend , I was surprised at how big the foul territory behind and around home plate really was there, something that is true with some of the new ballparks made by Populous. Provided it is made, the closeness to the action ,thanks to the park’s compact size, will make the ballpark stand out among ballparks in the major leagues.
The design looks great. For ballparks, smaller is better! Can’t wait to see a game there.
@steve, I agree You just cant mess up a 32-36,000 seat ballpark.
the foul territory looking at all the renderings that show the field is almost nil.
i know many say the foul territory is a huge reason why the a’s pitching staff is as good as it’s been for much of the past dozen or so years but hey, i’d trade it all for a hitter friendly park. mentioned it before but you had many many teams in recent years that played in some of the most friendly hitter parks in the league…nyy, phi, chw, hou…and all of them have either made the world series or won it so if you have great pitching, you still should be able to pitch well even in a small park.
If the team does move to San Jose (which MLB needs to allow them to do for the benefit and future and of the franchise) then lets hope the A’s remember their past and time in Oakland, with come statues of players like Rickey Henderson, Joe Rudy, Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersely, and even Dave Stewart spread around in different areas of the ballpark and Oakland A’s memorabilia should be everywhere around the park as well!
san jose area is HUGE market. 32000-36000 just isnt enough seats. 38000 at the least