Bleacher Reconstruction Update - January 20

by Al Yellon on Jan 20, 2006 8:52 AM CST in 2005-06 Bleacher Reconstruction Project

Thursday afternoon was yet another one of those January days that was nicer than it'll likely be on Opening Day -- 55 degrees and hazy sun. Thus, it was a good day to stop by the ballpark and snap some more photos.

You'll see one significant change -- the beginnings of the new brick wall, going up on the Sheffield side. Note in the closeup photo, the bricks being used are all clearly NEW bricks.

The timeline has also been updated.

Top: Behind the "knothole" in rf; underneath right-center field, showing workmen at work; more workmen, location immediately north of previous photo; corner of Waveland & Sheffield view looking toward LF

Middle: beginnings of brick wall on Sheffield side; closer view of brick wall; behind CF view looking in from what will be the new entranceway; left-center field underneath what will be the restaurant

Bottom: view back towards right-center from Waveland; concrete being set in seating area with view of walkway above; finished concrete seating area in LF corner

Photos by Al, taken Thursday, January 19

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Looks like they're moving right along...

Seems like they are on schedule. Thanks for the pictures Al!

One day, the dream will come true.

by brianp88 on Jan 20, 2006 12:30 PM CST reply actions

Thank for the pictures!

It looks great!

However, I'm sure another Site That Will Remain Nameless will have a parade of posters feeling "betrayed" because of the new brick. Oh the horror!

Dirka. Dirka dirka. Muhammed jihad.

by Goat Whisperer on Jan 20, 2006 12:52 PM CST reply actions

And if you look closely...

... at those bricks, they don't appear to be bricks at all, but concrete blocks painted to look "brick".

by Al Yellon on Jan 20, 2006 1:03 PM CST up reply actions

Bricks

As long as the bricks look like they have been there for 30 years, I think it will look fine. There might be ivy covering it up to!

Things could be worse, the cubs could have taken the cheap route and have precast brick slabs like they have in the cardinals new park, which looks just like coors field or SBC park.

by stadiumguru on Jan 20, 2006 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

Actually...

... now that you mention it, and look at the bricks again if you will, those DO look like "precut brick slabs".

About ivy on the outside, this was considered, and in fact appears on some of the renovation drawings on the Cubs website, but the latest I hear is that they're not going to do it, because they figure it'll just get ripped down by people walking by.

by Al Yellon on Jan 20, 2006 1:25 PM CST up reply actions

bricks

The precast brick slabs are actually one big piece of brick/concrete that would cover a 10x20 portion of the wall. These bricks are actual bricks, placed together on the site, on the wall.

The bricks thankfully aren't the bright red/orange that new bricks usually are

by stadiumguru on Jan 20, 2006 1:45 PM CST up reply actions

Oh, I see what you mean...

... about precast slabs. That makes sense.

Next time I go by there, I'm going to take a photo down the street -- these "bricks" are sitting in piles near the old carwash on Waveland, and you'll clearly see that they're not really "bricks" in the old sense, even though the wall as reconstructed will look similar to the old one.

by Al Yellon on Jan 20, 2006 1:48 PM CST up reply actions

As long as the bricks...

...look somewhat like they did before. The new seats behind home plate and next to the bullpen got new bricks, and you can't tell that the bricks are from 2003 instead of the 1940's

by stadiumguru on Jan 20, 2006 2:33 PM CST up reply actions

This was addressed...

at the meeting you missed at the Cubs Convention. They said they are still going to do the ivy as their experts do believe it will grow there, but they did make a comment as if wondering how long it will stay up. But it is a go...

by mannytrillo on Jan 20, 2006 4:38 PM CST up reply actions

This is puzzling...

... the ivy on the interior wall has dirt in which it can grow roots. But the exterior wall is all concrete. Where is it going to root?

Somehow, I think they haven't completely thought this out.

by Al Yellon on Jan 20, 2006 5:03 PM CST up reply actions

the ivy..

...would just need a narrow strip of soil below where it would begin to climb the wall. it sounds like they are not sure whether or not they are going to do it and I haven't seen drawings or illustrations but if there is sidewalk going in right up to the wall, that will be poured last - so that decision could be made later. as for the brick, you're think of a more traditionl brick with holes in it while what it appears that the masons are using is a solid brick paver. they are the same material - the solid paver is just denser and heavier than your traditional brick.

by hk on Jan 20, 2006 5:19 PM CST reply actions

nevermind on the brick...

I got a closer look at the photos

by hk on Jan 20, 2006 5:21 PM CST reply actions

Nice pictures Al,

Our beloved Cubbies web site actually has also updated pix, you all should take a look at. Some of them are stunning. Alot of them are taken from inside the ballpark.

ya know steve, I just don't get it. Here's a guy who's born and raised in the Dominican Republic, and he loses the ball in the sun !!

by whitesux on Jan 20, 2006 5:56 PM CST reply actions

Those are....

... good pictures, and show clearly how much bigger the new sections will be. There will, unfortunately, come a time, after the brick wall is up, where David and I won't be able to see much of the construction work in between the exterior and interior walls.

Until then, we'll keep snapping photos!

by Al Yellon on Jan 20, 2006 6:20 PM CST up reply actions

Bricks

I might be wrong - but from what I understand the cinder block bricks that they are using right now will form the inside wall to the bleachers. They are still using a combination of the old bleacher wall brick and new brick to form the outside part of that wall.

I think from talking to the construction workers it has to deal with the new building codes, etc.

If you look closely at your pictures I think you can see that the new brick is not going all the way to the front of the concrete support.

by Tallone on Jan 20, 2006 11:23 PM CST reply actions