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They do have plans for the baseball field. They want it to be closer to campus and closer to the softball field. The site that they are looking at is the ACF parking lot. A private developer currently has first right to the land but should that development not materialize, Marshall is next in line. So either through private developement or Marshall doing it themselves, Marshall and Huntington will likely have a new baseball field in the next few years. Here's an article where Mike Hamrick talks specifically about this:
Hamrick wants to build a new MU baseball field on the ACF parking lot that sits just east of Edwards Stadium on the south side of Third Avenue. But a private developer, who also is trying to build a baseball field as well as a hotel and sports bar, has the first option on the property.
Until the option expires, Hamrick is simply biding his time.
"That's the ideal place for it," he said. "It's where all our other stuff is."
Hamrick likens it to a puzzle. Going east, there's the Henderson Center; Edwards Stadium; Shewey Building; weight room; projected indoor practice facility, academic center/sports medicine, hall of fame; softball field; and projected soccer complex.
"The baseball field on the ACF parking lot would fit perfectly," said Hamrick. "And just think how much closer it would pull the soccer complex towards campus. It would be the final piece of the puzzle."
I saw and read that article as well. Obviously the biggest hurdle is that private developer holds all the cards for that property and could hold up any other plans, mainly MU's, if they so choose. I still say the best play is to acquire the entire block the field house sits on to have for either a.) a backup plan if the ACF parking lot property doesn't pan out, or b.) as leverage against the private developer if they try to hold up the property for years.
It would definately be a good idea to have a backup plan. With Marshall having such a large complex where the Field House now sits, it would be wise to plan on connecting that land with the main campus in the future through land acquisition and expansion. The biggest obstacle on the 5th Ave side would be the car dealership as it is fairly new.
In terms of the private development, Marshall's involvement is a big part of their plan so if Marshall chooses not to get involved, then the whole thing will likely fall through. Plus bonds need to be sold before any development can occur and I have no idea where they are on that.
Either way, my prediction is that it will happen in the next 5-10 years. Marshall seems to be making this a priority, they just want to do it right. It would be nice if they could bring minor baseball back to Huntington as well. That would be a much better spot for it.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The Cline Family Foundation is giving $5M to Marshall University to establish an endowment to support new faculty and scientists in the university’s planned sports medicine translational research center.
you want the private donors that were goig to donate to this to instead donate to new roads in morgantown and Marshall to get a bond to build a new parking garage for wvu's basketball arena....
you want the private donors that were goig to donate to this to instead donate to new roads in morgantown and Marshall to get a bond to build a new parking garage for wvu's basketball arena....
Why would Marshall take out a bond to improve WVU? The private donors can donate to whoever they want to. It is just a waste to give a TTT school like Marshal money.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The Cline Family Foundation is giving $5M to Marshall University to establish an endowment to support new faculty and scientists in the university’s planned sports medicine translational research center.
Another update on this, Marshall is planning to move forward with the sale of $54 million in bonds and add this with additional money from donations and $25 million from the state. They expect to be able to get the money from the bonds in about 6 weeks and begin construction of the new parking garage in the spring. This will then clear the way for the new engineering faiclity as well. Then they will take over the old Field house in February and gein demolition shortly after. They also still plan to renovate the old Stone and Thomas for the Art department and to include a Fine Arts incubator along with a new technology building as well. It is now to the point where plans are about to become reality. I can't wait to see this finished.
Looks like construction is starting ahead of schedule!
"HUNTINGTON -- Construction of a new parking garage at Marshall University will start in January, the first step in a $114 million construction and renovation plan involving several academic and athletic facilities.
The multi-level garage will be along 6th Avenue between John Marshall Drive and 17th Street, and its construction will require the temporary relocation of parking spaces that are next to the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, according to an email sent recently to students, faculty and staff by Marshall President Stephen Kopp.
Among the various pieces of the construction and renovation plan, the parking garage must be built first to make up for the more than 260 parking spaces along 3rd Avenue that will be taken off line for the construction of a biotechnology incubator and applied engineering complex. The parking garage will have at least 450 spaces and will be designed to expand up or out to add 300 more, said Ron May, Marshall's director of Facilities Planning and Management.
The $7 million parking garage will be paid for from the $52.1 million pot of money Marshall received late last month through bond proceeds. The university also has $25 million from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission to go toward the $50 million engineering complex. Marshall also is working to raise $40 million toward all the projects.
When news of a possible bond measure surfaced in the spring, the initial comments about a parking garage were that construction would start when the 2012 spring semester ended in late April/early May. But the timeline was clarified in an October meeting in Charleston with the HEPC. And that means more patience and cooperation is required, which was Kopp's plea in his email. "
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