Museum, retail Completed 2002 280,000 square feet $100 million
THE CHALLENGE For more than two decades, local officials’ attempts to develop the riverfront area adjacent to the Hall of Fame had been unsuccessful due to such obstacles as large numbers of public and private owners, environmental blight caused by industrial use, and isolation from the downtown retail district. Attendance was low, and the museum trustees were entertaining offers to relocate out of Massachusetts to a more tourist-oriented destination.
THE ODG APPROACH Taking a leadership role, O’Connell Development Group definedthe issue as one of attracting more people to the riverfront in general and proposed a much larger project that would create more reasons to visit and to linger. The plans inspired the client, the city, and the legislature, won public approval, and secured early financial commitments from government officials. In the designphase, O’Connell Development Group determined the right mix of restaurants and retailers, and also oversaw the design of the museum and its exhibits with an eye to interactivity. To realize the project, we oversaw the construction as the owner’s representative.
RESULTS This project increased attendance at the Hall of Famecreated a national destination on the underutilized riverfront, and gave Springfield a distinguishing, postcard-worthy landmark.
