Creating an innovative site design while overcoming unique challenges.
All Star Ballpark Heaven is envisioned as a premier place that nurtures 8-14 year old baseball and softball athletes nationwide. When completed, the $70 million complex will contain 24 fields, with one being a championship field seating 1,500 fans.
To support the fields, the site also will include residence halls for 152 teams, supported by dining and laundry facilities. An umpire “hotel” will house the 152 umpires needed for the weeklong tournament activity. A training facility will provide opportunities for year round training, and a community center will be provided as a joint venture with the City of Dyersville.
project overview
The site presented a series of unique challenges. There is a rise in elevation of 30’ across the site with some rather severe slopes. In several locations bedrock is close to the surface, including a ridge cutting diagonally through the site. A portion of the site is below flood elevation, and across the upper portion of the site runs a natural drainage channel runs which collects storm water run-off for hundreds of acres north of the site.
Origin Design used these challenges to create interest in the design by using the central ridgeline as a demarcation point along which to locate the buildings and from which the four pods of six fields are accessed. This creative approach provided tremendous sight lines across the site and into the pods, with the opportunity see “down” into the field pods and watch several games at once.
Working closely with the DNR, Origin Design developed a solution that diverts the on-site storm drainage into new retention ponds that have become site amenities. This innovative approach to the site achieved better balance the amount of soil that was added, relocated or removed from the site, and reduced the amount of rock removal.
The project is currently in fundraising.
Origin Design was uniquely qualified for the All Star Ballpark site development as we were able to provide the necessary project management, architecture, surveying, and civil, municipal, environmental, structural and transportation engineering for the project.
