Alexander Alusheff

Lansing State Journal

LANSING - The $11 million Outfield Apartments, which stand in home-run territory behind the outfield at Cooley Law School Stadium, are now open.

The three-story, 84-unit complex already has 70 apartments rented, including all 42 that face the ballpark, said Tara Smith, marketing manager for Gillespie Group, which developed the property.

When people see the view of the stadium, Smith said it elicits the same response: "Wow."

"That was our response too," she said. "You don't really realize how cool the view is until you see the ballpark and the view of downtown."

Outfield Apartments, which opened Wednesday, is the first residential development built inside of a professional baseball stadium. The three-story apartment complex is constructed on top of a one-story concourse that includes the stadium’s restaurant Good Hops and a banquet facility called The View, making the complete structure four-stories.

Michelle Anderson is moving from Laingsburg into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment on the fourth floor with her Yorkie-mix, Linus.

"I'm a big fan of baseball," Anderson said. "I love the location. My son's excited too. He told me, 'I hope you're prepared to have me and my (CMU fraternity) brothers over there.'"

Her friends aren't too excited to move her big furniture from her old house, Anderson said, but she's hosting them for Beerfest at the Ballpark this weekend.

"It made it easier to convince them," she said, with a laugh.

The city finished construction on the first level in 2014 as part of a $13.5 million renovation project at the stadium. Gillespie Group’s apartments brings the total investment to more than $24 million. The apartments are financed in part by a $2.5 million equity investment by the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

The 78,000 square-foot complex includes a mix of one-bedroom and-two-bedroom apartments as well as six units with Murphy wall beds. Apartments include a washer and dryer, granite counter tops, hardwood floors, a dishwasher and a balcony, Smith said. Fourth floor units include cathedral ceilings while some have 100 square-feet of window space.

Units range in size from roughly 500 to 800 feet with a cost of between $875 and $1,700 a month. Apartments that do not face the ball park are cheaper.

"Even though they face the other way, they get a lot of sunlight and a view of the city you don't normally see," said leasing manager John Bean highlighting the Grand River. "It's still a great view."

And the complex has an entertainment room on the stadium's concourse where residents can play billiards and shuffleboard or just lounge and watch the game from beyond center field from behind the south-facing glass wall.

Only the fourth floor of the complex is open. The third and second floors are still being finished, but are expected to be complete by May and June. Fourteen apartments are still available to lease.

$11M Outfield apartments to be open by summer 2016

Contact Alexander Alusheff at (517) 388-5973 or aalusheff@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexalusheff.

Leasing info

For leasing information call The Outfield Apartments at (517) 599-6939 or email leasing@lansingoutfield.com.