Big league level news for Greenville Drive fans. Yesterday, plans to transform Field Street into a convertible entertainment area called “Jackson Way” were released. Here’s what that means for our local baseball community + why the news is particularly significant now.
As it stands, Field St. connects Vardry St. and Augusta St., running parallel to the first baseline. The proposed project would encompass this street and incorporate the future .408 Jackson apartment development + the Shoeless Joe Jackson Baseball Museum and Library.
The Shoeless Joe Jackson Baseball Museum and Library currently sits across from the stadium at 356 Field St., but is preparing to move ~100 yards to the corner of Markley and Field in order to make way for the new Woodfield Development, .408 Jackson – a luxury apartment complex named in honor of Greenville’s baseball legend, Shoeless Joe Jackson. .408 is Jackson’s rookie batting average, the highest in the MLB.
So let’s set the score straight. As it’s currently laid out, Jackson Way would be lined by the new apartment complex, the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Library, and Fluor Field (which itself has undergone millions worth of improvements in the last few years). The impact this transformation would have on Greenville’s baseball scene is major.
From a more logistical standpoint, the project would turn the two-way street into a one-way. Jackson Way could also be closed for events. The preliminary cost estimate of the project is estimated to be $2.1 million.
The news is also significant because the proposal was released amidst talk of the MLB reducing its number of minor league teams. A list came out identifying the teams that would be affected under the current plan – and thankfully, the Greenville Drive isn’t one of them. The $15 million invested into Fluor Field renovations over the past two years may be a factor.
We’ll keep you updated as we know more about the proposal for Jackson Way + will continue to monitor how the MLB’s changes may impact our local team – but for now, it’s looking like a home run for the Greenville Drive.
