ST PAUL, Minn. — The plan to build a new baseball and softball facility for the University of St. Thomas (UST) is moving forward.
On Wednesday, the St. Paul City Council held public hearings on the proposed athletic complex.
It would be built on an old Canadian Pacific rail yard and the site of the former Ford Motor Company. It's in the Highland Park neighborhood that Councilor Chris Tolbert represents.
"We're grateful to have all those people working hard for the goal and today starts the next step of that process," said Tolbert.
The meeting painted a clearer picture of the plans, that besides the baseball and softball stadiums, include a practice facility and parking lot. It's all part of a booming new development called Highland Bridge that's some two miles from campus.
"There's a lot going on," said UST's Athletic Director Phil Esten.
Esten says the fields would take up about 13 acres. The master developer handed over its purchase agreement for that space to the city's port authority. It will now be in charge of cleaning up the land.
Esten says that could cost about $6.4 million and once it's remediated, UST would buy it back with plans to start building.
"It's a complex situation," said Esten. "And this is one of those situations where I do feel like we can provide a win, win, win scenario."
During this project, some residents had worried about lighting, noise and congestion, but a new berm, landscaping and retaining walls addressed their concerns. Any design or cost of the complex, though, is still far off. This is a private endeavor and St. Thomas can now start fundraising for a facility fit for a now D1 school - a shift made a few years ago.
"It's an opportunity for us to provide our student-athletes training, competition, and fan facilities for baseball and softball and in turn, amenities for the community," said Esten.
The stadiums would also be shared with local youth ball leagues. There are also two existing little league fields adjacent to the Highland Bridge site that would not be affected by the UST sports complex.
"We are among the neighbors, we’re a neighbor ourselves," said Esten. "It’s important when we find opportunities to develop in cases like this, we also think forward about how that can serve the neighborhood."
The council will vote again next month on some more amendments to the plan, but Tolbert said he believes those will pass.