Holy Cow! Indy Ballpark Transformed by Unique Adaptive Re-Use Project

Sitting at the edge of Indianapolis' burgeoning 16 Tech district, "a formerly industrial area now housing many of Indianapolis’ technology and life sciences companies," abandoned Bush Stadium (1931) was a prime candidate for redevelopment. Rather than tear down the historic art deco ballpark, Indianapolis-based Heartland Design is working on a "creative adaptive reuse project will fill its grandstand not with fans but with loft apartments," reports Branden Klayko.

“'We preserved quite a bit of the stadium,' said James Cordell, principal at Heartland, noting his belief that the project is the first conversion of a stadium to housing. 'It’s just a very unusual thing to do'.”

The $22 million Stadium Lofts project, which is due to open to residents this August, has found inventive ways to incorporate the stadium's unique shape in its varied apartment layouts. "The design [also] preserves the stadium’s quirky features and iconic elements, including its old scoreboard, press box, and lighting towers. Ticket booths and offices are being converted into common areas. The baseball diamond, remade in earth-tone concrete and grass, remains as a green space for residents."