July 24, 2007 - Baseball: Field of Impossible Dreams (Boston Globe Editorial)
"If you build it, he will come" is the famous line from the 1989 baseball movie "Field of Dreams." In Boston, however, it's a big if. Investors seeking to host an independent, professional-grade baseball team in Boston are running low on possible venues. Traffic concerns around Moakley Field in South Boston and space problems at Boston University's Nickerson Field upended two early efforts. Another effort to site a stadium on the Boston College High campus fell short with some of the school's trustees. And now the trustees of Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown have given short shrift to a proposal by the Boston Baseball Field of Dreams group. Boston would benefit from this kind of wholesome, affordable entertainment. So far, at least, there are no excessive demands for public subsidies. And the stadium could come with a portable bubble capable of extending sports into the colder months for a hosting school or community. It would be a shame to see these investors driven from the field.
March 10, 2006 - A Minor Field of Dreams (Boston Globe Editorial)
BOSTON DOESN'T need a minor league baseball franchise to strengthen civic identity, like a Bridgeport, Conn., or to spark economic development, like a Brockton or Lynn. But there is plenty of need here for the kind of affordable family entertainment offered by independent, professional-grade baseball.
Alexander Bok, a Boston attorney, says he wants to build a 6,000- seat minor league stadium in a location with convenient public transportation and existing parking. He cites both Moakley Park in South Boston and Nickerson Field at Boston University as ideal venues, though each would pose problems. The first order of business should be to determine if a minor-league franchise makes sense in a major-league city. We think it could.
The most frugal family of four would be hard-pressed to spend less than $200 for an outing to Fenway Park, where Red Sox fans pay the highest average ticket prices in the major leagues. While a visit to Fenway remains one of the city's great offerings, Boston lacks a place where a couple of kids with a few dollars in their pockets can find decent seats to watch professional baseball.
The likes of David Ortiz won't be walking through the clubhouse doors of the Canadian-American or Atlantic leagues, home to many players released from the farm teams affiliated with Major League Baseball. But fans of the Worcester Tornadoes, Brockton Rox, and similar franchises can expect to pay about $8 for good seats and a chance to soak up some baseball while the youngest enjoy the play areas and theme nights.
The Menino administration is tight-lipped, waiting to gauge both the reaction of the Red Sox and community groups. The Red Sox (a share of which is owned by the New York Times Co., parent of The Boston Globe) could use their clout with City Hall to crush this nascent effort by a potential, albeit tiny, competitor. Such a move would be shortsighted. The Red Sox welcomed 2,847,888 fans through the turnstiles last season. The Sox sellout streak stands at 226 games. How grudging it would seem if the 2004 world champions were to block a start-up team where the payroll for an entire 22-player roster is capped at less than $100,000.
Bok may be a bit too optimistic when it comes to siting such a club. Moakley Park in South Boston poses major traffic challenges, and even bigger concerns about using public parklands for a private enterprise. Boston University, which does not even field a college baseball team, won't be rushing into any deal, either. Plus there are the usual concerns over capital and community opposition. This might be a long shot. But anyone with a plan that links affordable family entertainment with baseball in Boston deserves a chance to show their stuff.
Press inquiries: Larry@carpmancommunications.com
Residents gets first look at proposed $50 million Malden ballpark
January 13, 2012
By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff
A Boston development group last night made its first public pitch for Malden Park, a $50 million minor league baseball stadium proposed for the current site of a National Grid facility on Commercial Street.
Boston Baseball Field of Dreams, led by lawyer Alex Bok, proposes a 6,372-seat stadium that would host a team from the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. The independent league has eight teams, whose players include college all-stars warming up for the pros, and former Major League players rehabbing to get back to the big leagues.
A standing-room-only crowd filled the City Council chamber at Malden Government Center to view a 3D presentation of the project, one of the largest developments ever proposed for downtown Malden. The synthetic turf field also would be available to the Malden High baseball team.
"I am grateful they chose our community," said Mayor Gary Christenson, who organized the public meeting. "I look forward to learning about this unique opportunity."
The red-brick stadium would feature a 360-degree concourse, 16 private boxes, and a children's play area. In addition to concession stands, a restaurant would be open year-round. A grass picnic area would allow patrons to spread out a blanket while watching a game. A plaza, opening onto Commercial Street, would provide a dramatic entrance, with space available for pre-game entertainment.
Aerial view from the outfield of the proposed Malden Park.
"Every game is an event," Bok said. "We want to be bring affordable, family fun to Malden ... We have brought together an amazing team to bring this to you."
The project's all-star team includes architects, baseball analysts and finance advisers with experience building minor league stadiums and Major League venues such as Camden Yards, home to the Baltimore Orioles. Malden Park would be modeled on a minor league stadium in Missouri that used by a Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Congressman Edward J. Markey, a Malden Democrat, was on hand to lend his support for the proposed Malden Park.
"This is such an exciting night," said Markey, who said he lives about six blocks from the proposed ballpark. "I think all of us came here to be a part of this hopeful, new development. This can really be an historic moment for our city."
The park would take up an entire city block on Commercial Street, across from the MBTA Orange Line. The proximity to public transportation makes the site ideal for a ballpark, proponents said.
"It will be a real, sustainable smart-growth project," said Phil Young, a Missouri-based architect who is designing the stadium, with help from a Chelsea firm.
The ballpark would be located on an 8-acre site, comprised mainly of a National Grid gas operations center, which will relocate in the spring. Three other privately owned parcels on Canal Street also must be acquired to create enough space for the ballpark.
"We look forward to resuming negotiations with the Canal Street property owners," Bok said.
Bok and his group have been scouting sites in Greater Boston for years, but could never find a parcel available that was large enough to build a stadium from scratch. "There is no other site we found that met our criteria," he said.
The Malden site is ideal because it is located on the MBTA Orange line, has highway access, and 1,200 parking spots available in downtown garages, he said. "We really believe we have the best site in Greater Boston," Bok said.
The Malden Redevelopment Authority, working with National Grid, issued a request for proposals for development ideas for the site. Although a few developers inquired, Bok's group was the only one that submitted a final proposal. The 75-page document, along with last night's presentation, will be published on the city's website, cityofmalden.org, by Tuesday, Christenson said.
A committee reviewing the proposal will have to make a recommendation to the Malden Redevelopment Authority. That panel would then have to vote to designate Bok's group as developer of the site. If that happens, lease negotiations would start with National Grid, which plans to retain ownership of the land, officials said.
If Bok's group reaches agreement with National Grid, state and local permitting would begin later this year. Once permitted, construction could begin in winter 2013, and the park would open in 2014, according to the time line.
Stephen M. Wishoski, executive director of the Malden Redevelopment Authority, said the approval process would be long and detailed. At public hearings, Malden residents could weigh in on the project. "This is the beginning of a very long process that will involve, and ensure, participation by the public," he said.
Residents at Thursday's meeting expressed mixed views.
"What happens down the road, when the team is done?" asked Mike Aliberte. "Then what would we do with the stadium?"
Jim Vozzella said a ballpark would shine a bright light on Malden. "As far as I'm concerned, it would bring people into the city," Vozzella said. "You're not going to get 6,000 people just from Malden at the games. ... You're going to bring new people here. I think that's great."
Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at@GlobeKMcCabe.
A playground beyond right field at the proposed Malden Park.
LETTERS | MAKING PITCH FOR A MALDEN BALLPARK
Venue would be part of larger plan to revitalize city
JANUARY 20, 2012
IN “BASEBALL’S a bad call at Malden Site’’ (Op-ed, Jan. 17), Paul McMorrow makes two salient points regarding downtown development: that “silver bullet development doesn’t work’’ and that “building vibrant neighborhoods is slow, hard work.’’ What McMorrow misses in his analysis is the history and progress of redevelopment of downtown Malden over the past 20 years. The redevelopment of the National Grid site into an entertainment venue to attract visitors and to revitalize downtown Malden is part of a multipronged overall strategy, and was never intended to be a silver bullet.
The long-term vision for downtown Malden has been to do the following:
■Bring residents with disposable income to the downtown. Today there are more than 1,000 units of housing, with plans to add 700 more within the next two years.
■Add office workers. Today there is nearly 800,000 square feet of office development in the square.
■Attract niche retail to the square, which we have begun to do by recruiting several top-notch dining establishments.
The redevelopment of the 6.5 acre National Grid-owned construction yard in Malden Square into a ballpark would provide the entertainment component that our revitalization efforts are lacking. In addition, it would provide a comprehensive remedy to an environmentally troubled site that for years was a coal gasification plant.
We believe McMorrow struck out looking on this one.
Gary Christenson
Mayor
City of Malden
Stephen M. Wishoski
Executive director
LETTERS | MAKING PITCH FOR A MALDEN BALLPARK
Developers aim to put contaminated site to good use
JANUARY 20, 2012
Developers have proposed a minor league ballpark on the Orange Line in Malden.
IN RESPONSE to Paul McMorrow’s Jan. 17 op-ed “Baseball’s a bad call at Malden site,’’ I would make the following comments as the person who has proposed the ballpark development.
Like McMorrow, our group does not subscribe to a naive “silver bullet’’ theory of urban redevelopment. We believe that our proposed ballpark is a very good redevelopment use for a contaminated site on which residential development is inappropriate, not the “regressive use’’ McMorrow terms it to be.
As to what has gone wrong elsewhere, every city faces a different set of challenges. We believe that in Malden the availability of Orange Line public transportation across the street, readily available public parking, and easy highway access to a strong regional fan base would be instrumental to our long-term (again, not overnight) success. The National Grid site in Malden has all of those ingredients.
Independent baseball has many long-term success stories, including in St. Paul (2010 average attendance of 5,063) and on Long Island (2010 average attendance of 6,038). Although McMorrow writes that we are “counting on an aggressive 77 percent attendance rate,’’ our projected break-even attendance is 50 percent, or about 3,200. In addition, the independent Atlantic League, our league of choice, and its ballparks are larger than those of Brockton and Lynn and the Can-Am League. Our Atlantic League ballpark, constructed with no Malden public financing, would be a major league-caliber ballpark, only with 6,400 seats.
We see our project as one important piece of the future success story for downtown Malden.
Alex Bok
President and CEO
Boston Baseball Field of Dreams
Boston
PELLHAM PHILLIPS ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS AND TAT THE ARCHITECTURAL TEAM
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-22/yourtown/31383039_1_properties-renewal-plan-stadium-developers
Parcels targeted for new ballpark
April 22, 2012|Matt Byrne, Globe Correspondent
The developer of a proposed minor league baseball stadium told the Malden Redevelopment Authority last Tuesday that his group is planning to make offers by the end of April to buy three plots of land required to move forward on the $50 million project.
The properties are home to three businesses: L&L Services, a trucking and landscaping company at 11 Canal St.; Spadafora’s Auto Parts, 129 Charles St.; and Collex auto body repair, 124 Centre St. Together, they make up roughly a quarter of the 7-acre site primarily owned by National Grid, which is expected to lease its site on Commercial Street across from the MBTA Orange Line station long-term to the stadium developers.
“We’ll make an offer [on the smaller properties] by the end of April; then we’ll see if they’re in a negotiating mode,’’ said Alex Bok, the Boston lawyer and president of the Boston Baseball Field of Dreams LLC, which has been seeking a Boston-area ballpark for several years. “We’re looking to get a deal done to purchase their land by next March or April.’’
If all goes according to plan, workers could break ground by this time next year, Bok said.
Although negotiations will not truly begin until offers are on the table, lurking in the background is the possibility that the Malden Redevelopment Authority may take the properties by eminent domain, said George McLaughlin, an attorney representing L&L Services and Spadafora’s Auto Parts.
“I have a wait-and-see attitude,’’ said McLaughlin. “These are businesses that have been here a long time. If [the developers] want to step up to the plate and pay us fair-market money, I think a deal could be struck, as long as we get the whole pie.’’
At issue will be the compensation levels not just for the land, but for the costs associated with relocating the businesses. If Bok low-balls the owners and the redevelopment authority steps in to take the properties by eminent domain, McLaughlin said he has no qualms about taking the matter to court.
“Give me a jury trial any day of the week; that’s my ‘field of dreams,’ that’s my ballpark,’’ McLaughlin said.
At the Tuesday meeting, Bok said he plans to make above-market offers on the property and has consulted an appraiser to help formulate his bids.
For the redevelopment authority to exercise its right to take the property, it would first have to designate the area an urban renewal zone, which would trigger a public hearing process, said Deborah Burke, the authority’s assistant executive director. Then the state Department of Housing and Community Development would have to sign off on the renewal plan, she said.
“The hope is that any acquisitions that are made are done privately between Bok’s team and the three private parcel owners,’’ Burke said.
In the meantime, the Baseball Field of Dreams group has grown to include roughly 20 consultants, architects, and planners who are working to hammer out the details that accompany the $50 million stadium. Before the group can complete a deal with National Grid, a two-month, $85,000 study by a baseball economics consultant will help the utility understand the intricacies of the baseball business.
“They’re a big institution,’’ Bok said of the utility. “They’re a company headquartered in London. It will take time to get a transaction done with them.’’
The stadium team has roughly a year to draw up detailed architectural plans, complete environmental and traffic studies, and apply for zoning and permitting changes. The zoning and permitting process will eventually spark a round of public hearings on the stadium.
The National Grid site is 10 feet narrower than previously believed, forcing the field to be shifted slightly north, said Mark J. Rosenhein, project manager for the Chelsea architectural firm that is collaborating on the plans.
A large gas pipe that runs beneath the property would have to be relocated, although a brick pumping station owned by National Grid will remain, he said.
Rosenhein said that once the large pieces of the park are locked in, planners can shift focus to the details. Because the Malden River once flowed at the site, planners said a possible theme could incorporate elements of the river’s history, and of Malden’s past.
“We’ll have failed if you come to the park and not learn something about the history of Malden,’’ Rosenhein said.
Matt Byrne can be reached at mbyrne.globe@gmail.com.
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/malden/2012/04/malden_baseball_stadium_develo.html
Malden stadium developers asking property owners to play ball
By Matt Byrne, Town Correspondent
April 18, 2012 11:05 AM
The developer of the Baseball Field of Dreams told the Malden Redevelopment Authority that his group is planning before month's end to make bids on purchasing three parcels required to build the 6,300-seat stadium.
Attorney and Developer Alex Bok spoke to the authority's board of directors Tuesday, and said his group is fast at work hammering out a long-term lease agreement with National Grid for the main portion of the site.
"We see the next 12 months as lease oriented, getting the environmental and permitting issues in line, so this time next year we can break ground," Bok said. "The message that people should have is that we're all in."
The three adjacent properties include L & L Services, a trucking and landscaping company at 11 Canal St.; Spadafora's Auto Parts, 129 Charles St.; and Collex auto body repair, 124 Centre St.
Two of the owners of the smaller parcels have hired an attorney, he said. The owners have barred Bok's appraiser from an in-person inspection of the properties, but the Boston attorney said he is optimistic that above-market offers will draw positive responses.
"We'll make an offer by the end of April, then we'll see if they're in a negotiating mode," Bok said.
Also moving forward are plans for National Grid to hire an outside consultant familiar with the economics of baseball to evaluate Bok's business plan for viability, for which the developer has places $85,000 in escrow.
Bok said the findings of the study will help inform how National Grid structures the lease. The group is expected to report back to the MRA again in June.
Architecturally, designers are coping with the nuances of the National Grid site, which is 10 feet narrower than previously believed, forcing the entire field to be shifted slightly north, said Mark J. Rosenhein, project manager for the Chelsea architectural firm handling the plans.
"We're trying to get the big pieces in the right spots," Rosenhein said.
Lease agreement opens way for baseball stadium
By Kathy McCabe | GLOBE STAFF NOVEMBER 29, 2012
The Malden Redevelopment Authority , National Grid, and developer Alex Bok have reached agreement on the terms of a 40-year lease to build a $50 million minor league baseball stadium on the site of a former gas distribution facility on Commercial Street.
A letter of intent outlining key terms of the lease, such as rent payment to the authority, must be approved by the state attorney general’s office before a final lease is signed. “We’re cautiously optimistic the attorney general will approve the proposal,” said Stephen Wishoski, executive director of the authority.
Jillian Fennimore, a spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office, declined to comment on the review.
The redevelopment authority would lease the 6.4-acre site from National Grid, and then sublease it to Boston Baseball Field of Dreams, Bok’s development group. The 6,372-seat stadium would host a team from the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, with opening day planned in April 2015.
The authority’s board voted on Nov. 20 to authorize Wishoski to sign the letter of intent, negotiated over the past several months.
‘We’re cautiously optimistic the attorney general will approve the proposal.’
“We’re pleased the letter of intent is nearly finalized,” Deborah Drew, a spokeswoman for National Grid, wrote in an e-mail. “This represents a big step forward for the project and we’re looking forward to beginning work on the lease.”
Over the next six to nine months, Bok plans an aggressive push to finalize other essential elements of the project: negotiate land deals with three adjacent property owners; acquire a franchise from the Atlantic League; and secure private financing.
“Now that we have the right to control the National Grid site, we have a pathway to move forward,” Bok said in an interview at City Hall.
Bok must acquire three parcels, totaling 2.7 acres, along Canal and Charles streets bordering the National Grid site. The land is now occupied by three small businesses: Collex Collision, L & L Services, and Spadafora Auto Parts. Bokattempted to secure options on the properties last spring, but was turned down, he said.
“They wanted us to come back to them, once we had control’’ of the National Grid land, Bok said. “The interests of those landowners need to be respected. We have a plan. We’ll have to see how it fits into theirs.”
With at least one property owner, Bok could be in for some difficulty.
“My clients have no interest in selling their property to them and losing their business,” said Robert Shaer, a Boston lawyer representing Collex Collision.
George A. McLaughlin, a lawyer representing Spadafora and L & L Services, could not be reached for comment.
If Bok cannot negotiate a purchase, the redevelopment authority could take the parcels by eminent domain. An urban renewal plan, which would be required for a land taking, is being prepared.
“We’re still hoping and expecting this will be a private deal,” Wishoski said. “Eminent domain, or any use of that law, will absolutely be a last resort.”
The proposed stadium would have 16 sky boxes, a pro shop, a restaurant, and a 30,000-square-foot plaza opening onto Commercial Street. A team from the Atlantic League — which fields players that include a mix of former Major Leaguer players and college all-stars — would play 70 games in Malden, most of them on nights and weekends, according to a project outline.
The Malden High baseball team also would be invited to use the field for home games, while events such as graduations also may be held at the facility, Bok has said previously.
The project faces a lengthy list of state and local approvals, including the state Department of Public Utilities, which regulates National Grid, along with the City Council and Planning Board. “There will still be a great deal of public review of the project,” Wishoski said.
Bok is hoping to start preparing the site by next August, with construction likely to start in February 2014, he said.
Proximity to Malden Center Station on the MBTA Orange Line makes the site ideal for a ballpark, proponents have said.
“We are hoping everything moves along in a timely manner. In baseball, if you are two months late, you would miss a whole season,” he said.
Financing would likely be a mix of bank loans and private equity. In the last five years, Bok said, he has raised $3 million from private investors.
“They and their colleagues have indicated they would like to invest, once they know the project is really happening,” he said.
Bok said he has spoken to Eastern Bank, which has a large presence in Malden, about loans. “We have met with them recently, and they remain very interested and excited about the project,” Bok said.
Andrew Ravens, a spokesman for Eastern Bank, confirmed the bank’s interest.
“We’re actively lending money to fund projects in the communities we serve,” he wrote in an e-mail. “We’re always looking for more opportunities to invest, so naturally, we’re exploring this project and others.”
Bok also plans to sell naming rights to various areas in the park, such as the concourse, dugouts, and the stadium itself. National Grid would have first crack at naming rights. If the utility declines, the lease would prohibit NStar from being considered, Bok said.
“The document specifically states that it will not be NStar Stadium,” Bok said, smiling.
Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @GlobeKMcCabe.
Malden approves stadium lease agreement
Nathan Lamb
Posted: 11/21/2012 8:58 AM
A proposal to bring Independent League baseball to Malden passed a key milestone on Nov. 20, with city officials approving framework to lease the stadium site.
An investment group known as Boston Baseball Field of Dreams is looking to establish a 6,300-seat stadium at the 6.4-acre National Grid property at 100 Commercial St.
An endorsement of that project and lease agreement for the site were central to a letter of intent approved unanimously by the Malden Redevelopment Authority (MRA) board on Nov. 20.
Pending approval by the attorney general and National Grid’s senior management, the agreement will give Boston Baseball Field of Dreams control of the property — allowing the developer to move forward with financing, securing a franchise, and acquiring neighboring parcels for the project.
“It’s the first step, but it’s a big step, because if they couldn’t reach an agreement with National Grid there’s no project,” said MRA executive director Steve Wishoski.
Wishoski expected the attorney general and National Grid would rule on the letter of intent within the next couple of weeks. He said it would become a public document once it’s executed.
Boston Baseball Field of Dreams founder and president Alexander Bok said the letter includes 90 percent of the lease agreement with National Grid. He said it’s a base 40-year lease, with four 10-year extensions, adding the agreement also includes measures for remediating coal tar contamination on the site.
Bok said having control of the National Grid site provides actual numbers to show investors and the Atlantic League, which he plans to approach for a new franchise. While the Atlantic League is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, Bok said its players are high caliber, saying ex-major leaguers fill a third of its rosters.
“When Roger Clemens wanted to show that he could still pitch in the majors, he went to the Atlantic League,” said Bok
The target date for stadium opening is spring of 2015, and Bok expected the coming months will include raising $50 million to build the stadium, securing permits and acquiring neighboring parcels for the project.
The ballpark as proposed would require all 7.5 acres on the National Grid block, displacing Spadafora Auto Parts, L&L Trucking and Collex auto body repair. Negotiations between Boston Baseball and the local businesses were on hold pending the agreement with National Grid, but Bok expected they would resume shortly — and would not be easy.
“I think a prudent person would expect that,” he said. “They’ve all hired experienced and competent counsel.”
The MRA is not part of the negotiations, but is preparing an Urban Renewal Plan, which would allow for use of eminent domain if a private agreement is not reached. MRA officials have repeatedly stressed that option, which would allow the city to take the land even if a mutual agreement is not reached, is a “very last resort.”
Two people who indentified themselves as ownership for Collex were at the meeting, but declined to comment. Also present was a representative from the office of U.S. Rep. Ed Markey and legal counsel from National Grid.
National Grid announced its intent to vacate the property and consolidate local operations at its Medford Street facility midway through 2011. The MRA issued a request for proposal (RFP) for redevelopment of the National Grid site last fall, and Boston Baseball Field of Dreams was the only respondent.
Wishoski termed the letter of intent the culmination of nine months of negotiations between National Grid and Boston Baseball Field of Dreams, adding the MRA has been involved with those negotiations the past four months. He credited enthusiastic support from Mayor Gary Christenson and Congressman Markey for helping to move the project forward.
Project supporters say the influx of ballpark customers will positively impact the local economy, and Wishoski said the MRA has authorized an economic study on the topic, which will be ready by the end of November.
In a related matter, Wishoski said the neighboring Line Drive batting cage facility on Commercial Street is converting to a restaurant and sports bar, in anticipation of the project.
“They’re anticipating the ballpark is going to be there,” said Wishoski.
The project will require numerous state and local permits, and Bok said the timeframe for those bodies to return decisions was the biggest uncertainty at this point. Even so, he said he was confident things would come together under his current timeframe.
“As long as the parties continues to move with the effort that they’ve had over the past few months, I ‘m quite confident we’ll open this thing in 2015,” he said. “The challenge is there’s a lot of parties involved.”
MALDEN
Ballpark in Malden one step closer to reality
By Jarret Bencks | GLOBE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 20, 2012
JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
Mayor Gary Christenson signs a bat at a press conference on the agreement to build a minor league ballpark.
Developers planning to build a $50 million baseball park on an old National Grid gas plant site in Malden will pay about $20 million over the course of a 40-year lease with the utility provider, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by the Globe.
Mayor Gary Christenson, US Representative Ed Markey, Attorney General Martha Coakley, and Massachusetts National Grid president Marcy Reed celebrated the agreement at Malden Government Center Monday afternoon by signing Louisville Slugger bats.
Markey, a Democrat who has lived four streets over from the proposed development site on Commercial Street his entire life, has high hopes for the project.
“This is the best day for Malden in my 36 years of being a congressman for this city,” Markey said Monday. “This is a moment that is going to be the transformation of this city.”
Development Group Boston Baseball Field of Dreams LLC, led by lawyer Alexander Bok, plans to build a 6,372-seat park at 100 Commercial St. to host a team in theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball, a minor league that is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. The group is eyeing a grand opening in 2015, but obstacles remain before that can happen.
The National Grid site takes up 6.4 acres, but the design for the park requires the acquisition of three other parcels totaling 2.7 acres. The lots are home to L&L Services at 11 Canal St., Spadafora’s Auto Parts at 129 Charles St., and Collex auto body repair at 124 Centre St.
On Monday, Bok described the other parcel owners as “fierce” negotiators who were previously unwilling to engage in serious talks until the National Grid parcel was purchased.
“We’re at stage 1A,” Bok said. “Now that we’re real, we’ll see what happens with that.”
Under the agreement with National Grid, Bok’s group would pay only $100 until a completion date on the park is finalized, or until a permanent certificate of occupancy is issued.
If that happens, the group would pay $100,000 in its first year of operation; $200,000 in its second; $325,000 in its third; and then the previous year’s rate plus a 2.5 percent increase each year after, according to the agreement.
The lease would run 40 years, with the developer having an opportunity to renew the lease for 10 years for the following four decades.
Coakley had to sign off on the lease because the site — which has been a gas plant since the 19th century — contains contaminents and requires environmental remediation. An agreement has been worked out with National Grid, Coakley said, but its details were not available Monday. The site has been vacant since the utility moved to another site in Malden earlier this year.
The terms of the lease had previously been approved by both parties and the Malden Redevelopment Authority in November, but the financial figures had not released because Coakley had not yet approved the deal.
Bok said the park — located in close proximity to the Malden Center Station on the MBTA Orange Line — is expected to produce about 125 part-time jobs during the six-month season, along with about 25 permanent, full-time positions. In addition to hosting about 70 games per year, the park also would host concerts and perhaps graduations, Bok said.
The Atlantic League currently has eight teams, which averaged about 4,400 in attendance last year, according to figures from the league.
Plans are in the works to host city-run public forums on the proposed project and conduct citizen surveys in coming weeks, Christenson said Monday. It would eventually have to go through the zoning approval process and meet other city requirements.
Before signing the commemorative bats, Christenson said the project was viewed as an economic driver for the city.
“I believe this project has the potential to not only revitalize this site but serve as an economic catalyst for the entire downtown,” the mayor said.
Jarret Bencks can be reached at Bencks.Globe@gmail.com.
Boston Baseball Field of Dreams, LLC
6 Pleasant Street, Suite 320, Malden, MA 02148
781 322 3999
Affordable family entertainment