Go get 'em Tigers.... stadiums and public art (among other things)

Tiger sculptures by Michael Keropian, at Comerica Park, Detroit. Image from the Girl-in-the-D blog.

One of these days I have to produce a planning matrix listing multiple objectives, the kinds of objectives (or lens-framework) that should be used when developing new projects. For example, every DC Government construction project should work to achieve urban design objectives, not to mention, it should enhance the beauty of the public realm, including public art.

The prolific emailer Will Fleishell writes about his friend Mike Keropian:

This is the way to build a stadium- forget the current trendy, idiotic looking, dated, uptown condo - deck covering - retro look- lets put up some REAL MONUMENTAL ART-of course these totally unimaginative morons who run this place would NEVER allow it to happen...some rules or technicality would forbid it.

My roomate Mike, from art school days, sculpted the giant tigers at Comerica Stadium in Detroit.

Mike's sculptures are all over TV since Detroit is going to the World Series- he now works as sculptor in residence for Saint John's the Divine in NYC.

Instead, we waste opportunity after opportunity. And we don't have that much money where we can afford to be spendthrifts when it comes to urban revitalization.

Speaking of creating lively districts around ballparks, the Wall Street Journal had an article about this last week, although it's not available online: "Live, Work, Play, Texas-Style; More Cities Construct Stadiums With Neighborhoods to Match; Edgy Styles, Pricey Penthouses."

I think the issue with the Lerners is likely that they aren't against such development around the stadium, as long as they are the ones that do it, and make the money from it...

(Unfortunately, my computer is on the fritz and I can't download photos from my camera. I have some great photos of the area around the stadium, including some wonderful signage, taken during the Tommy Wells campaign bike ride along the Interim Anacostia Riverwalk Trail.)

I think that the best interim solution is to take Monument Realty up on their offer to provide interim parking. See Marc Fisher's column from last Thursday's Post, "For the Stadium, It's Decision Time; for the Mayor, It's the Offseason" for more about this. This would allow more time, rather than encourage a boneheaded immediate action out of desperation.
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And re the Tigers and Detroit, I wrote back to Will:

Given all the city and region is going through these days, I'm glad that they get to experience some joy with the Tigers! I am not much for sports these days, but I can still hum "We're so proud of our baseball team, go get 'em Tigers..." and part of the Faygo redpop song. (Faygo soda is available outside of Michigan, but for the longest time it was only available in the Detroit area.)

"Remember When You Were A Kid?"
Written by Ed Labunaki
Originally sung for Faygo by Kenny Karen

Comic books and rubber bands
Climb into the tree top
Falling down and holding hands
Tricycles and Redpop
Pony rides and Sunday nights
Roller skates and snowball fights
Climbin' through the window

Remember when you were a kid?
Well, part of you still is
And that's why we make Faygo

Faygo remembers
Flying kites and funny shoes
Easter eggs with speckles
ABCs and counting by twos
Washing off the freckles
Kissing a hurt to make it stopS
tartin' school in September
So many things you almost forgot

Tryin' to remember
Remember when you were a kid?
Well, part of you still is
And that's why we make Faygo
Faygo remembers

Index Keywords: stadiums-arenas; public-art; urban-design-placemaking