Sullivan Field rallies again: Grandstands will be restored

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The group behind the project to restore Sullivan Field in Grand Rapids says the grandstands will be restored after all.

Engineers initially thought they would need to be replaced because of structural issues.

Fans of Valley Field say restoration is the best option to preserve the historic site.

“We saw people like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson play here; Al Kaline played here,” Andy De Vries, the co-founder of Fans of Valley Field, said. “This was the place to be on the West Side.”

The field, also known as Valley Field, had fallen into disrepair after many decades of use. The Fans of Valley Field group formed and raised money to try to save it. Initial assessments found a lot of rot and structural issues, delaying the project for several months. Some engineers said they did not think it could be saved.

“Really, we were heartbroken when we found out that it couldn’t be. We put a new roof on and then we found out that the structure wasn’t what it needed to be,” De Vries said.

More engineering work shows the structure can be saved — but the process will require more money.

“The original goal, total goal for the money was about $4.25 million, which we achieved. But now we’re putting numbers together and it will be a significant amount — but not as much as it would have been if we had to rebuild it,” Paul Soltysiak, co-founder of Fans of Valley Field, said.

The refurbished field will also serve as a museum and a gathering place for community events.

“I think the goal … is to make this a park for all, a multiuse park rather than just a really cool historic baseball field,” Steve Tibbe, the director of operations for the group, said.

The nonprofit is working to get the final costs and designs put together and is hoping to resume construction this fall.

“There aren’t very many wooden baseball parks left in the country, so I think it’s great that it’s going to be able to be saved,” Soltysiak said.

If you want to donate to the project, you can visit the Fans of Valley Field website .

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