BCB's David Sameshima made a brief late-afternoon trip to Wrigley Field Sunday afternoon just after the gates opened and filed this report:
There isn't really much new to document on Sunday's visit. They are almost done with the exterior brick wall along Sheffield Avenue. The back of the right field video boards have not been enclosed yet.When I got over to the main bleacher gate, I was surprised. The work gate at Sheffield and Waveland was open. So far, on game days, they had been opening two side gates on Sheffield and Waveland. This allowed the intersection of Sheffield and Waveland to remain clear for vehicular traffic. I asked some employees why the work gate was open. I found out that the Waveland gate had jammed. Only a very small portion of the wide gate could be opened, so they opened the work gate that is located in the middle of the intersection.They haven't completed enclosing the back of the left field video board. The west end of the board is still exposed. Engine 78 was not in quarters, but I saw it when I was leaving. It was coming from the north, and making a run south on Clark Street, right into Wrigley traffic. Also saw the suburban PACE buses parked along Clark just north of Waveland.
Workers have continued doing work inside the bleachers even while games have been going over the last few days; I've heard hammering and sawing going on. Exterior work has been hampered a bit by the heavy rain over the last few days, but now, with a bit better weather expected and the Cubs having their next six games at night (today and tomorrow, then the first three games of the Dodgers series) and five days out of town in between, much work should get completed.
David will be in the bleachers Monday night so we'll have more photos tomorrow.