A's Tweak Design For Proposed Howard Terminal Ballpark
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- The Oakland Athletics have released updated renderings of the proposed ballpark at Howard Terminal.
The team said it tweaked the design of the original boxy structure to provide better views of the bay and Oakland and after getting feedback from fans and public officials.
The design of the ballpark is now more circular while retaining the distinctive elevated park that wraps around the frame of the 34,000-seat stadium.
The privately-financed ballpark, which would be the smallest in Major League Baseball, would be built alongside office and residential towers, some as high as 20 stories.
The ballpark would be the anchor of a new waterfront district featuring housing, office and retail space.
Numerous questions remain, including access for fans to the waterfront site, which is next to railroad tracks and near the 880 freeway. The team has proposed an aerial gondola to transport fans from Downtown to Jack London Square.
The A's have yet to acquire the Howard Terminal and Oakland Coliseum sites. Questions about control of the Coliseum site, which is jointly operated by Alameda County and the City of Oakland, also need to be resolved.
The team hopes to break ground on the Howard Terminal project by 2021 and to open the ballpark in 2023.
