The beloved historic Durham Athletic Park could be getting a facelift.
The city of Durham contracted with Perkins + Will North Carolina Inc. in October 2024 to conduct a feasibility study on the future use of the DAP.
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The Durham Athletic Park sits on a 5.44-acre, city-owned property that was built in 1926. It was rebuilt in 1939 after a fire, and underwent a $4 million renovation in 2008.
The city has been collecting public input on the future of the site for months. The feedback shows a desire for more accessible and inclusive programming, emphasizing the need for low-cost or free events.
The options for the property are constrained by streets on all sides and existing sewer and stormwater infrastructure below the field.
- 44% of community members who provided feedback emphasized the importance of preserving the unique features of DAP, including its baseball history.
- 29% want more access to the space, including
easier rentals - 28% want to see the space activated with events and
programming
During their work session, city council members
heard a presentation on three scenarios.
The first is titled “Preservation/Restoration.”
That scenario would keep the historic features of the DAP intact, including the
grandstands, the 1939 brick wall and the ticket booth. That option is
estimated to cost between $48 and $68 million.
The second option was titled “Transformation,”
which would include reshaping the site with a diamond-shaped central lawn to
honor the baseball legacy. That scenario includes an open green with zones for
play, rest and civic use, along with an elevated walkway and a “Durham Porch”
overlooking the space. That option is projected to cost between $40 and $60
million.
The third option was “New Development.” That
option reimagines the park as a layered landscape with natural and civic zones,
including the creation of a “Homebase plaza,” which would be a new civic space
for events and daily use. That option is estimated to cost between $62 and $85
million.
City council members chose to move forward with
the first option after hearing from the Durham Sports Commission about outside
interest in the park.
According to the presentation, right now the site
is unused 66% of the time, or 241 days of the year. On the other 124 days when
the site is used, 91% of the time the use is baseball-related.
Durham Sports Commission Executive Director Marcus
Manning told city council members, outside groups have taken notice of the
space.
“Being in the Triangle, we’re in one of the
best sports ecosystems in the country, and Durham continues to grow,” Manning said. “And we
have people and organizations that really see the potential in Durham.”
Discover Durham CEO Susan Amey was also in favor of
the first option, saying the park can be an economic driver for the entire
Durham Central Park area.
“It brings people down for events and
activities on a very regular basis, we can program the space out for as many
days of the year as we possibly can,” Amey said. “That allows us to do
everything from historic preservation and sports to some of these community
events that we would like to see.”
Residents who provided public comment, including former Durham Mayor Nick Tennyson and a member of Preservation Durham, also pushed to
preserve the park, citing its importance in the city’s history.
“It’s been 85 years since the Durham Athletic Park
was built, and it’s seen a lot of history,” Bob Ashley said.
City staff told council members they will move
forward with additional planning around the chosen option.
Related: A local insider guide to the best Minor League Baseball in NC’s Triangle
