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Michaela Simpson
Pendulum Studio LLC
Michaela.simpson@pendulumkc.com
(816) 335-3030
Kansas City Based Architecture and Design Firm, Pendulum Studio in Partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Just Released an Innovative Design Concept for the Nation’s Only Negro Leagues Campus
Kansas City, MO – May 4, 2023 – As an architect having a meaningful role in 29 ballparks and counting since 1995, Pendulum’s founding principal and CEO Jonathan O’Neil Cole has an undeniable expertise in the ballpark building type and a passion for the game of baseball.
When Cole spent time with the great Buck O’Neil in 2005 as documented by our recent story “Hanging with Mr. Buck O’Neil”, it is evident Buck made a major impression on how Cole sees the game. Fast-forward to May 2, 2023 when the who’s who of Kansas City including Congressman Emanuel Cleaver; Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas; Frank White Jr., Jackson County Executive; Kathy Nelson, President & CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission; and John Sherman, Chairman & CEO Kansas City Royals gathered at the NLBM Field of Legends to unveil an innovative new vision for a Negro Leagues Campus designed by Pendulum Studio and announce the award of a $1 million grant from Bank of America by Matt Linski, president, Bank of America Kansas City, the crowd went wild!
The new state of the art facility will be built adjacent to the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center (BOERC) which will now be housed in the former Paseo YMCA. That historic building is where Andrew “Rube” Foster established the Negro Leagues in 1920. With help from the anchor grant, the new NLBM, in combination with the BOERC, will create a “Negro Leagues Campus” that will become the gateway into Kansas City’s famed Historic 18th & Vine District.
“I’ve designed quite a few ballparks over the tenure of my career. After founding Pendulum in 2007 there’s not a day that passes without something related to baseball being on my drafting table. The opportunity for my firm to lead the way in not only honoring the history of the game, especially as it relates to the African American experience and the legends of the past, but to also look ahead to the future through innovation, technology, and design is an incredible honor and weighty responsibility – we are very appreciative of Mr. Kendrick and the NLBM Board’s confidence in Pendulum as this project gets underway,” said Cole.
The images below are a very brief glimpse of the collaborative design process that has taken place to date between NLBM stakeholders and Pendulum. There is still plenty of work to be done. As the project progresses there will be much more to see so stay tuned!
For More Information
Please visit the NLBM “Pitch for the Future” landing page for a showcase of the Pendulum virtual reality design and an opportunity to donate to this worthy cause.
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