Rendering of new ETSU Baseball Stadium (Johnson City, Franklin: 2011, apartments, house)

[rccrain]

ETSU could have waited on the economy to turn, Collins said, but the university’s administration is genuinely interested in helping drive economic development in south Johnson City. Several other projects along the State of Franklin Road corridor between ETSU and downtown have slowed due to the economy, including the Chamber of Commerce’s mixed development on the former General Mills property and the University Edge Apartments on Love Street, adjacent to the baseball property.

“We’re really hoping this project will help with that. With the University Edge Apartments going in, we think as they go in there and you’ve got 600 students and continued growth on our campus, that’s a lot for developers to be looking at.

“They (developers) have a nice place at one of the major intersections in Johnson City, and hopefully that will just spur things as you head on downtown with the plans they have down there. We think it will be a great anchor for that.”

JohnsonCityPress.com - Local News - Johnson City, TN

I'd watch games there.

[jabogitlu]

Good on Collins. I live right near here (on Highland Avenue) and watched them tear the Airgas building down. I was hoping this was what's happening. I think, and hope, this stadium will spur a LOT of development in South JC along our main artery - State of Franklin - especially when combined with the University Edge apartment buildings which will house 600+ students. That's a lot of kids. Also, the university has just built two large dorms just a few hundred feet away, up University Parkway. If the city and university can work together to bring the right kind of development to the SoF/Parkway intersection, we could have a little walkability around our university.

[jchometeam]

I pretty much say good for ETSU on this one. Although if I was ETSU I would have waited for the University Edge apartments to break ground to make sure it was actually going to happen (its stalled right now, due to TIF issues I believe).

[jabogitlu]

I agree completely. Good for ETSU and I can't think of a better way for them to spend my student moneys. (As opposed to the softball stadium which I'm not completely convinced of, but - another story!)

Does anyone know - where does ETSU baseball play now? The field near the post office? Where do the Johnson City Cardinals play? Will they use this new stadium too?

When I lived in Greeneville, I went to a lot of Astros games. A new stadium could give a HUGE boost to the Cardinals.

[rccrain]

ETSU and the Cards play on that field by the post office. When I lived in Bristol, I loved going to BriSox games, however the JC stadium is just subpar from a spectator perspective.

From what I've read, the ballpark and the university apartments are on schedule for 2011.

[jabogitlu]

Awesome. I'm sure, then, that the Cardinals will follow to this stadium. IMO they need to a lot more promotion. I meet a lot of people (mostly newly moved to the city) who have no idea that Johnson City has a baseball team. I also know a lot of people who don't want to travel out to Legion St to watch a ballgame....

[williboy]

From the picture, the stadium reminds me of Pioneer Park at Tusculum College which is an absolutely beautiful ballpark.

[williboy]

Here is a picture of Pioneer Park at Tusculum College.

[jabogitlu]

I love Pioneer Park, too. IMO it's one of Greeneville's (and Tusculum's) greatest assets.

[jabogitlu]

Slight delay in the University Edge project, apparently. Whoever this Kuehn person is, they're intelligent. This could be a make or break for future developers 10, 20 years into the future.


JohnsonCityPress.com - Local News - Johnson City, TN