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Wrigley Field Construction Update: March 12

Festivities in the neighborhood as well as an update on the Wrigley project.

By Al Yellon
  • 1:17 p.m. Crowd already along Clark Street. This is looking south, from Addison Street - David Sameshima
  • 1:18 p.m. A rare unobstructed view of the front of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:18 p.m. The front of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:19 p.m. The front of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:20 p.m. Another look along Clark Street. This is also looking south, from Addison Street - David Sameshima
  • 1:21 p.m. Structures for the clock tower, atop the northwest corner of the plaza building - David Sameshima
  • 1:22 p.m. A look at the plaza building from Clark Street - David Sameshima
  • 1:22 p.m. New structure up, for the new gate, along the west side of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:22 p.m. A view of where the new gate is located, along the west side of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:22 p.m. A new at the new iron work, along the west side of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:23 p.m. Another view of the west side of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:23 p.m. A look at ground level, along the west side of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 1:25 p.m. A look along the crowded Clark Street sidewalk in front of the former McDonalds, looking south from Patterson Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:27 p.m. Utility construction still in progress around the neighborhood. This is along Clark Street - David Sameshima
  • 1:28 p.m. The north side of the plaza building, along Waveland Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:28 p.m. The Clark Street side of the plaza building - David Sameshima
  • 1:28 p.m. The Waveland Avenue side, in front of the plaza building - David Sameshima
  • 1:29 p.m. The northwest corner of the plaza building - David Sameshima
  • 1:29 p.m. The upper center field bleachers still under cover - David Sameshima
  • 1:29 p.m. The west side of the broadcast center building - David Sameshima
  • 1:30 p.m. The sidewalk outside of the broadcast center building blocked off, along Clifton Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:35 p.m. A look at the top of the north side of the plaza building, from Seminary Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:36 p.m. A look at the east side of the broadcast center building, from Seminary Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:37 p.m. Gate K/J area, on Waveland Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:37 p.m. The east side of the broadcast center building - David Sameshima
  • 1:38 p.m. The east side of the broadcast center building - David Sameshima
  • 1:38 p.m. The north side of the plaza building - David Sameshima
  • 1:39 p.m. The groundkeeper's cottage, on Waveland Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:40 p.m. The view of the plaza building, from the front of the firehouse on Waveland Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:40 p.m. The tarps removed from underneath the left field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 1:42 p.m. Ventilation equipment installed, underneath the left field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 1:43 p.m. Seats still not reinstalled in the upper deck section, under the press box - David Sameshima
  • 1:46 p.m. Numbers and letters still not reinstalled on the EAMUS CATULI rooftop, along Sheffield Avenue - David Sameshima
  • 1:48 p.m. Construction fences removed along most of the Sheffield Avenue sidewalk, outside of the bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 1:51 p.m. Player and broadcaster names now installed along the Sheffield Avenue sidewalk, in addition to the personalized paver bricks - David Sameshima
  • 1:53 p.m. The right field corner of the bleachers, where the bleachers connect to the grandstand - David Sameshima
  • 1:53 p.m. The connection between the grandstands and the right field bleachers - David Sameshima
  • 1:54 p.m. Looking south along the Sheffield Avenue sidewalk - David Sameshima
  • 1:54 p.m. Looking south on Sheffield Avenue, where the sidewalk is still blocked off - David Sameshima
  • 1:56 p.m. Crowd at the northeast corner of Addison and Sheffield - David Sameshima
  • 1:56 p.m. Crowd crossing the street at Addison and Sheffield - David Sameshima
  • 1:56 p.m. Crowd at the southwest corner of Addison and Sheffield - David Sameshima
  • 2:01 p.m. Crowd walking along the sidewalk on the south side of Addison Street, across from the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 2:01 p.m. Pedestrians walking alongside traffic on Addison Street, outside of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 2:02 p.m. Still working, above the front of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 2:03 p.m. Crowd on Clark Street, looking south from Addison Street - David Sameshima
  • 2:04 p.m. Crowd crossing Clark Street, looking west on Addison Street - David Sameshima
  • 2:05 p.m. Crowd on Clark Street, looking south from Addison Street - David Sameshima
  • 2:06 p.m. The sidewalk on Clark Street, looking south from Addison Street - David Sameshima
  • 2:09 p.m. Crowd crossing the street, in front of the ballpark - David Sameshima
  • 2:10 p.m. Another view of the structure outside of the west side of the ballpark, where the new gate will be located - David Sameshima
  • 2:10 p.m. The back of the T-shirt worn by many in the crowd - David Sameshima
  • 2:11 p.m. The front of the T-shirt worn by many in the crowd - David Sameshima
  • 2:12 p.m. Crowd crossing the street, in front of the ballpark - David Sameshima

BCB's David Sameshima visited Wrigley Field Saturday... and found a lot of other people in the area.

I had intended on visiting Wrigley Field in the morning, before the Saint Patrick's Day crowd arrived, to hit the bars along Clark Street. Unfortunately, I was delayed and didn't arrive until after 1:00PM. I figured that I was still okay, as the majority of the drinking crowd doesn't arrive until after the downtown parade. I was wrong. It wasn't packed around Wrigley Field, but it was already pretty full.I did make my way around the ballpark, but I tried to be quicker than usual. In situations like this, people will constantly come up to me and ask me to take their photo. They have no idea who I am, but must hope that their photo will be published somewhere. There is a spot on Waveland Avenue where there is a small view into the ballpark. I only managed one photo, showing that they have still not replaced the seats in the upper deck in front of the press box. I had to move on, since there was a private party going on in one of the rooftops on Waveland. The crowd up there kept yelling at me to take their photo. I was afraid that they might throw something at me, so I just moved on.I did see another section of the wrought iron fence exposed, along the west side of the ballpark. There is also now a structure along the west side of the ballpark. This must be for the new gate. The structure that had been assembled along the Waveland Avenue sidewalk is now atop the plaza building. This must be for the clock tower.When I started walking along Sheffield Avenue, I noticed a woman walking along the sidewalk, outside of the bleachers. I continued walking, and only then realized that the construction fences had been removed. I crossed the street to take a look. In addition to the personalized paver bricks, they have also installed sections listing various former Cubs players and broadcasters.

The photo of the brick pavers is photo 28 in the gallery. David says he has some more photos showing all the players and broadcasters honored on the sidewalks, and will send them along later.

We hope to have more photos later in the week, including some of the demolition of the McDonald's, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow, Monday, March 14.

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