Construction recently began on the 30 acre, $25 million New England Baseball Complex at the junction of Rtes. 20 and 9, with a planned opening for late this summer. In addition to athletic facilities, several acres have been set aside to welcome local and national retailers.
The complex will be the new home of the New England Ruffnecks Baseball program, a college development program for baseball players 13U to 18U founded in 2003 by Steve August, the organization's director and a former assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox.
The project team includes: Activitas Inc., McArdle Gannon Assoc., RKL Construction Consultants, Waterman Design Associates, RELCO Electric, Pitt Pipeline Co., Sports Turf Specialists and Colliers International.
When completed, the facility will feature three full-size, fully lighted, synthetic turf baseball diamonds. The surfaces are capable of being converted to small diamonds for softball or the smaller dimensions of baseball for 12U players, such as Little League. The fields can also be used to host soccer or lacrosse events. Plans include the development of indoor hitting tunnels and a clubhouse, as well as facility for performance training.
"Having looked for the ideal location for the New England Baseball Complex since 2006, we are thrilled to have landed in a community as supportive as Northborough," said Ted Chryssicas of the Colliers Boston retail services team. "With its close proximity to the Northborough Crossing open-air retail development, the complex is poised to function as an independent destination even when baseball-specific activity ebbs from November to March as the retail opportunities support the year-round benefits of having a baseball/sports presence."
The 3-4 acre sites at the front of the property are allocated for up to three separate pad buildings that will rent 30,000 s/f to potential synergistic tenants such as sports medicine and healthcare providers, 6,000-7,000 s/f for a family-oriented sports-themed restaurant, or other services.
"We are excited to have broken ground in such a central location that serves the entire New England youth baseball community," said August. "In addition to providing a home for the Ruffnecks, our developmental programs and related activities, the New England Baseball Complex is intended to provide the region with a true destination site for tournaments, clinics and showcases. It is the first and only of its kind in the New England states."