When last we checked in on Paterson, New Jersey’s plan to rebuild its old Negro League stadium, the price tag was still uncertain. Well, it’s uncertain now, too, but in a different way:
The estimated cost of the Hinchliffe Stadium reconstruction project has climbed by more than 20% in the last two years, rising from $72 million to $94 million, according to public records.
Yikes! I’m as big a fan of preserving historic sites as the next person, but $94 million for a stadium that will be used by no one except maybe some high school teams seems like a lot, even if the project also includes building some housing and parking garages. How are local officials justifying this expense?
[Mayor Andre] Sayegh hopes that rebuilding Hinchliffe will help revitalize the area around Paterson’s Great Falls National Historical Park.
Oh, revitalization, of course. Because when deciding on whether to visit a crazy-ass waterfall in the middle of a city, the first thing you think is “But will there be a renovated Negro League baseball stadium nearby where I can watch high school sports?”
Much of the money for the project is coming from state and federal historic tax credits, so Paterson officials can at least argue that they’re using other people’s tax money for the rehab, though is significantly less reassuring if you live somewhere other than Paterson and so are one of those other people. The upside, I guess, is that we would be gaining a historical site preserved to look like … you know, what would it look like, actually? Years into this project, I still can’t find any renderings, though there are lots of pictures of the trees growing through the current grandstand, and what’s less vital than trees?
After taking pictures of this stadium like 10 years ago, we wandered over to those falls. They’re actually pretty impressive!
I’ve driven within a couple hundred feet of the falls on I-80 a hundred times, but have never actually gotten off the highway to see them. So maybe a renovated old stadium was just the push I needed! (Or, you know, a road sign.)
It is far more than worth the trip to see the Falls. I grew up near there and had a similar experience of driving by it a thousand times, but taking a few minutes to see it is more than worth it. There’s really nothing like it in an urban area I’ve ever seen.
It also has a connection to Alexander Hamilton and early U.S. economic development that makes it interesting.
Paterson has been one of the poorest cities in NJ for over 50 years – not experiencing the upswing that parts of Newark and Jersey City have experienced. Of course, there’s a lot better uses for a $100 million – in this city, a whole lot.
I think the area should be used for, small businesses. There are many entrepreneurs that are looking for an outlet to pursue their careers. Designers are booming now more than ever. I would love to have a shop in that area. Fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry. Restaurants for chefs are seemingly seeking through. Check out Instagram, people are really trying to soar and spread their wings. Instagram, as a platform, verses the real world to be seen in the area of the hinch cliff stadium would be a blessing to many.
I have been through Patterson before. With the exception of Camden ( aka “The Armpit Of America”) it is the worst city in New Jersey. Maybe a few people will feel good ( it is not their $92m being spent). But No one after the first week it is opened, is going to make a trip to a renovated Negro League Stadium. But elites really do not understand the difference between “Feel Good” and the reality of a situation.
With all due respect, Cleveland is the Armpit of America. Don’t you dare try to steal our title, we earned it.
Hinchliffe Stadium’s distinction of being the oldest surviving Negro League ballpark gives it inherent cultural value. This park should absolutely be preserved; and to consider the rehabilitation project solely on utilitarian grounds is inappropriate.
But Major League Baseball should be pressured into helping to defray the costs.
It’s not the oldest — Rickwood Field in Birmingham predates it by over a decade. But sure, there are benefits other than economic ones here; it’s just worrisome when a nearing-nine-figure price tag (for such “historic” things as a parking garage) is being justified by at-best extremely handwavy economic arguments.
The cynic in me (which, fair enough, is most of me…) wonders if there isn’t some sports owner or potential sports owner keeping his or her eye keenly on this near $100m stadium that will apparently not have any tenant.
I’m sure this is not the best location/town (roughly 150k according to public sources) for a budding sports owner, but hey, a free $100m stadium that local politicians need an excuse for building could be motivation enough.
Or maybe MLB could find a way to swoop in, have a couple of teams wear old NL uniforms for a day, and leave with all the cash during preseason or the all star break or whatever.
There just has to be some way that a multimillionaire or billionaire can take the sad fate of Paterson taxpayers and make money on it.
John: Agreed. (In my case, large helpings of pessimism and sarcasm as well).
C’mon Jeff (Bezos). Show the planet you give a damn and have a heart. A $100 million is pocket change to you.
Oh, that’s right. You had your heart removed in order to become the wealthiest human on the planet (No, Vlad nor are the Gulf states emirs, princes or sheikhs wealthier than you. No, Elon isn’t launching you into orbit aboard SpaceX so that he’ll be the wealthiest human on the planet).
Came across this several weeks back.
https://dutchbaseballhangout.blog/2019/11/30/buckwalter-stadium-a-ballpark-left-to-rot/amp/
You can bet that Meridian, Mississippi won’t be restoring their old ballpark.
Yup, this nation in a nutshell. Throw away society. Use and toss (old ballpark has literally become a garbage site). We in this nation favour (I noticed that April 1st comment slip) new and improved!
I went there in February of 2020 (last vacation pre-Covid). Didn’t look like there was any parking anywhere around for events, and it was not a neighborhood that made street parking seem like a good idea. Wish I’d checked out the impressive falls.