Nielsoncp's Ballpark Concepts and 3D Models

[drksd4848]

These should have been parks made in real life... By that I mean the modernized versions (because technically they were!)

[nielsoncp]

By popular demand...

Earlier this year a Chicago-based architect created a 3d model of Comiskey Park, which made it A LOT EASIER to make this model. You can find it here
https://bandboxballparks.com/comiskey-park/. I would like all the architects to put their energy towards the projects from now on, as they are both pretty cool and, well, makes this activity a lot easier to figure out

I tried to retain some of the original character of the exterior:

Inside of the park, I decided to convert the picnic areas to standing room only platforms with open glass walls. This was proposed in the Portland stadium project's designs, so I can imagine something like this coming soon:

In the outfield I took out some stands and put in another standing room only section (with a bar like the new one in Miller Park), as well as retaining the exploding scoreboard.

I tried to keep some of the south side character in the surrounding neighborhood, including the mix of high rise apartments and row homes.


The park itself had a larger playing field, so it again depresses home runs and increases hits.

Zip file can be found here

Park Factors

Day

Night

[nielsoncp]

Originally Posted by drksd4848

These should have been parks made in real life... By that I mean the modernized versions (because technically they were!)

Yeah, likewise. It would be really cool to go to Sportsman Park, Forbes Field, and Crosley instead of Busch, PNC, and Great American Ballpark. I read a book about ballparks last year which talked about how these stadiums mixed the the pastoral and the urban, and it's been cool to play around with that idea in these concepts.

Also, my wife laughs at me because I keep saying "this one will be simpler" and, well, you've seen how the complexity has increased as I have gone...

[silvam14]

Originally Posted by nielsoncp

By popular demand...

Earlier this year a Chicago-based architect created a 3d model of Comiskey Park, which made it A LOT EASIER to make this model. You can find it here
https://bandboxballparks.com/comiskey-park/. I would like all the architects to put their energy towards the projects from now on, as they are both pretty cool and, well, makes this activity a lot easier to figure out

I tried to retain some of the original character of the exterior:

Inside of the park, I decided to convert the picnic areas to standing room only platforms with open glass walls. This was proposed in the Portland stadium project's designs, so I can imagine something like this coming soon:

In the outfield I took out some stands and put in another standing room only section (with a bar like the new one in Miller Park), as well as retaining the exploding scoreboard.

I tried to keep some of the south side character in the surrounding neighborhood, including the mix of high rise apartments and row homes.


The park itself had a larger playing field, so it again depresses home runs and increases hits.

Zip file can be found here

Park Factors

Day

Night

That bandbox guy is a great twitter follow. he is doing league park in cleveland now. great job on this

[raptorman415]

These retro-revitalized ballparks are amazing! Do you got any plans for old Milwaukee County Stadium? And is there a Polo Grounds in the works? I think a modernized Polo Grounds would be something to see. Anyways, love what you're doing keep it up.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by silvam14

That bandbox guy is a great twitter follow. he is doing league park in cleveland now. great job on this

Whats his handle? Also feel like sharing yours? i'm chicagofan76. Gonna share Comiskey with some Sox fans now.

[silvam14]

Originally Posted by The Game

Whats his handle? Also feel like sharing yours? i'm chicagofan76. Gonna share Comiskey with some Sox fans now.

@sportsbandbox

[nielsoncp]

Originally Posted by raptorman415

And is there a Polo Grounds in the works? I think a modernized Polo Grounds would be something to see.

Well, I have some good news - I started working on Polo Grounds before you posted - and here it is!



The actual stadium location now has a school and some public housing on it, so I decided to keep the housing towers to the north of the park, but added some more mixed used development.

(Also, if you've never seen this picture of Polo Grounds and Old Yankee Stadium, it's pretty neat and gives some context for the geography in model)



Inside of the actual stadium, I added a few luxury boxes (including a behind home plate set-up a la Globe Life Field) and hand operated scoreboards along the sides:



Most of the work in this model happens in center field, where I included an homage to "The Catch" and the Mets Apple(s).


The playing field was pretty unique, with short walls to the corner and super deep to center field and the power alleys. Because of this the stadium plays slightly hitter friendly, but depresses power numbers and ups doubles and triples. (Side note - because of the short walls players will most likely go through them to get balls. It's a game thing, not a stadium one.)

Zip file can be found here

Park factors

Day

Night


BUT! The Mets were not the first tenants in the Polo Grounds. What would it look like if...

[nielsoncp]

The Giants had never left?

This model is pretty much identical to the Mets Polo Ground version. The only major change is in center field, where I added a "Hall of Heroes" for the fourteen retired numbers, as well as statues for Mays and Christie Matthewson.




Zip File is Here

Park Factors

Day

Night

[nielsoncp]

Originally Posted by raptorman415

These retro-revitalized ballparks are amazing! Do you got any plans for old Milwaukee County Stadium? And is there a Polo Grounds in the works? I think a modernized Polo Grounds would be something to see. Anyways, love what you're doing keep it up.

Also, thanks Raptorman! Right now, I am mostly planning to finish up the Jewel Box Stadiums that we don't have a good modern versions of (sorry Yankees fans (not sorry)) - Griffith Stadium, the Baker Bowl, and Braves Field. Once I'm done with those I haven't decided what I'm doing yet. Thanks for asking!

[jokerhusky1129]

What about a modern Fenway or Wrigley?

[nielsoncp]

Shibe Park and the Baker Bowl were only six blocks apart in real life.


For a while I contemplated making one big model, until I realized how big that file would have been. So, instead, we have two separate models. The Baker Bowl is right off of the North Philly stop on the subway (and right next to a rail yard), so I passed by it almost daily when I lived there. It was cool to see that some of the buildings I knew were present when the Baker Bowl was built, and it was fun to include them in the model:



The Baker Bowl was the first cantilevered stadium, meaning that most of the seats were behind the iron support beams. It was also pretty small by modern standards, so I extended the grand stands and added a third, smaller level above some luxury boxes:


In the outfield I added a home run train, and updated the famous Lifebouy ad in right field, as well as adding in a couple scoreboards. I also imported the Liberty Bell neon sign and the scoreboard from Shibe Park, since I felt they fit.





The Baker Bowl was built on a narrow block, and the walls were originally built to be 40 feet high (!) with a 20 foot fence on top (!!). I pushed the walls back a bit (hence the weird location for home plate) but kept the 40 foot walls. It was also super deep to center field (the old location of the clubhouse) so it's another low homer/high contact field.

The zip file can be found here

Park Factors

Day

Night

[nielsoncp]

Originally Posted by jokerhusky1129

What about a modern Fenway or Wrigley?

Silvam did a really great Fenway model, and I'm sure at some point he'll get to Wrigley, so I think I'll leave those to him. For me this is a fun kind of alternative history project, so I don't think I'll be doing those. Thanks for asking though jokerhusky!

[zappa1]

Man oh man I really like these retro/classics that you've done. I just started the 1962 season so these will be nice. All are wonderful. Have you tried any of the old dead ball parks? Love to see your take on those. Great job and thank you. Much appreciated.

[The Game]

Originally Posted by nielsoncp

Shibe Park and the Baker Bowl were only six blocks apart in real life.


For a while I contemplated making one big model, until I realized how big that file would have been. So, instead, we have two separate models. The Baker Bowl is right off of the North Philly stop on the subway (and right next to a rail yard), so I passed by it almost daily when I lived there. It was cool to see that some of the buildings I knew were present when the Baker Bowl was built, and it was fun to include them in the model:



The Baker Bowl was the first cantilevered stadium, meaning that most of the seats were behind the iron support beams. It was also pretty small by modern standards, so I extended the grand stands and added a third, smaller level above some luxury boxes:


In the outfield I added a home run train, and updated the famous Lifebouy ad in right field, as well as adding in a couple scoreboards. I also imported the Liberty Bell neon sign and the scoreboard from Shibe Park, since I felt they fit.





The Baker Bowl was built on a narrow block, and the walls were originally built to be 40 feet high (!) with a 20 foot fence on top (!!). I pushed the walls back a bit (hence the weird location for home plate) but kept the 40 foot walls. It was also super deep to center field (the old location of the clubhouse) so it's another low homer/high contact field.

The zip file can be found here

Park Factors

Day

Night

Can i ask for a modded version of this mod? i use a version of Baker Bowl for my Endor League Delgado Tigers. I just want anything that says Phillies replaced with the Detroit Tigers Old English D.The liberty bell can stay. if its too much, I'll still use it for them. I will use it for several other leagues as well.

[jokerhusky1129]

Originally Posted by nielsoncp

Silvam did a really great Fenway model, and I'm sure at some point he'll get to Wrigley, so I think I'll leave those to him. For me this is a fun kind of alternative history project, so I don't think I'll be doing those. Thanks for asking though jokerhusky!

I should clarify what I meant. I was talking about what if they did new versions of Fenway and Wrigley. Not what they look like now. So alternate history, but instead of the old stadiums, new stadiums. I hope you get what I mean lol

[Ctrane]

Nice work as always on the new Baker Bowl.
I dl'ed it but there's no prk file in the folder.

[Ctrane]

Originally Posted by Ctrane

Nice work as always on the new Baker Bowl.
I dl'ed it but there's no prk file in the folder.

Cool! I figured out how to create one on my own.

[jg2977]

I wonder what Oakland Coliseum would look like if they tore down Mt Davis and modernized it. Also, what if they renovated Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium after 2008 instead of demolishing them?

[nielsoncp]

Hi everyone! Thanks for your comments and feedback! I appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Ctrane

Nice work as always on the new Baker Bowl.
I dl'ed it but there's no prk file in the folder.

Thanks Ctrane, and thanks for letting me know about the missing .prk file. I re-uploaded it with all of the files.

Originally Posted by jg2977

I wonder what Oakland Coliseum would look like if they tore down Mt Davis and modernized it. Also, what if they renovated Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium after 2008 instead of demolishing them?

Originally Posted by zappa1

Man oh man I really like these retro/classics that you've done. I just started the 1962 season so these will be nice. All are wonderful. Have you tried any of the old dead ball parks? Love to see your take on those. Great job and thank you. Much appreciated.

Originally Posted by jokerhusky1129

I should clarify what I meant. I was talking about what if they did new versions of Fenway and Wrigley. Not what they look like now. So alternate history, but instead of the old stadiums, new stadiums. I hope you get what I mean lol

Thanks for all the ideas everyone. I'm going to do the last two classic Jewel Box parks (one of which is coming up in a minute) and maybe a couple more, and then I think I'm going to take a bit of a break. I may come back to those at some point in the future though!