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Wrigley Field Construction Update: May 10

The bleachers open later today!

By Al Yellon
  • 1:37 p.m. Sidewalk in front of the Cubs Store being power washed - David Sameshima
  • 1:40 p.m. Protective net in front of the right-field video board - David Sameshima
  • 1:43 p.m. Water hose connected up to fire hydrant to wash downthe area outside of the main bleacher gate - David Sameshima
  • 1:45 p.m. The updated view for the ballhawks on Waveland - David Sameshima
  • 1:47 p.m. Tour bus unloads on Waveland - David Sameshima
  • 1:47 p.m. Tour group gathers outside the Waveland construction gate - David Sameshima
  • 1:49 p.m. Tour group clears as a forklift needs to get through - David Sameshima
  • 1:50 p.m. View of the far left corner of the bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 1:50 p.m. Portable restroom being removed from outside of Gate K/J - David Sameshima
  • 1:51 p.m. Left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 1:53 p.m. Left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 1:57 p.m. Portable restroom being moved into the broadcast lot - David Sameshima
  • 1:58 p.m. Portable restrooms being stored in the broadcast lot - David Sameshima
  • 1:59 p.m. The far corner of the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:00 p.m. Portable restroom being removed from Gate K/J area - David Sameshima
  • 2:02 p.m. Gate L, in the far left-field corner of the bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:10 p.m. Under the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:11 p.m. Under the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:11 p.m. Working in back of the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:13 p.m. Fence being installed in the back of the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:14 p.m. Still working under the left-field porch - David Sameshima
  • 2:15 p.m. Working under the left-field porch - David Sameshima
  • 2:22 p.m. The main bleacher gate - David Sameshima
  • 2:24 p.m. Hosing down the pavement outside the main bleacher gate - David Sameshima
  • 2:34 p.m. Gate Q - David Sameshima
  • 2:34 p.m. Under the far right-field corner of the bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:03 p.m. Under the far left-field corner of the bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:04 p.m Under the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:04 p.m. Temporary chain-link fence behind Gate L, to block off access under the bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:06 p.m Another view under the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:07 p.m. Worker popping up from behind the exterior bleacher wall on Waveland - David Sameshima
  • 2:10 p.m. Under the left-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:15 p.m. The red brick going up on the exterior bleacher wall on Waveland - David Sameshima
  • 2:16 p.m. Waveland side of the main bleacher gate - David Sameshima
  • 2:25 p.m. Still working on the main bleacher gate - David Sameshima
  • 2:26 p.m. Gap still remaining on the Sheffield side of the main bleacher gate - David Sameshima
  • 2:26 p.m. Gravel being dropped outside of the main bleacher gate - David Sameshima
  • 2:28 p.m. Temporary fence used to fill in the gap at the main bleacher gate on the Sheffield side - David Sameshima
  • 2:30 p.m. Under the right-field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 2:31 p.m. Gravel pile on Sheffield - David Sameshima 
I arrived after 1:30 p.m. It was mostly drizzling. The rain would start and stop. This restricted my use of the monopod as well as changing lenses.In all my visits, this was the first time a bus tour group showed up outside the bleachers. I have just seen small tour buses park in front of the marquee, slowing down traffic on the now-narrowed Clark Street. They were able to walk up to the gate, until they had to be cleared when a forklift needed to get through.Couldn't see many workers from the street, but you could hear them working inside. Gate L actually looks ready to open, however the last update form the Cubs stated that only the main bleacher gate would be open. The area at Gate L leading to under the bleachers has been blocked off by a chain link fence. I could only see a small portion of the Waveland Avenue exterior wall, where the red brick has been put up.They were busy still fixing up the main bleacher gate. It will be interesting how entry is set up. I am guessing that only the recently installed gates along the Sheffield and Waveland sidewalks will be used to enter the main bleacher gate. Maybe one gate used for fans holding regular tickets, and one gate for employees and season ticket holders. We'll find out tonight.There's still no sign of where the batting cages will be set up. I didn't see any testing of either video board. I did note (photo 2) that a protective screen was hanging in front of the right field video board. The portable restrooms outside Gate K/J were being moved into the broadcast lot. I don't know if all of them were being moved. I couldn't stay long enough to find out. They were just being stacked along side one another, so they weren't going to be available for use in the lot.It is still messy outside the bleachers. Pro tip: if you're going out to the bleachers, don't wear your good shoes.

One thing you can see from David's photos from Sunday is the setup in my regular corner of the bleachers in left field (photos 8 and 14 in particular). The seating area looks almost exactly the same as it did before. I'll let you know how it feels when I get back into my seat tonight.

David and I will both be at tonight's game. I'll try to tweet some photos from inside the bleachers before the game, and I'll have a full report on the new bleacher experience tomorrow morning.

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