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Wrigley Field construction update: March 10

The shrouds are beginning to be removed, revealing more of the project.

By Al Yellon
  • Left field corner, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Left field corner, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • West side of the ballpark, from Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Left field corner, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gate J/K, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gate J/K, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Left field corner, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Left field corner, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • New addition between the bleachers and the left field grandstand, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Left field corner, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Left field corner, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Forklift making the turn from Sheffield Avenue onto Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Work taking place under the scoreboard David Sameshima
  • Sign at Murphy’s Bleachers David Sameshima
  • The right field corner, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • The right field corner, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gate Q, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gate Q, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • The right field corner, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • The new addition between the bleachers and the right field grandstand David Sameshima
  • The new addition between the bleachers and the right field grandstand David Sameshima
  • The right field corner, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • The new addition between the bleachers and the right field grandstand David Sameshima
  • The new addition between the bleachers and the right field grandstand David Sameshima
  • The right field corner, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • The Wintrust Gate/Gate D, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • The Wintrust Gate/Gate D, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • The south side of the ballpark, along Addison Street David Sameshima
  • Elevator shaft, above the Wintrust Gate/Gate D David Sameshima
  • The Wintrust Gate/Gate D, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Pedestrian barricades set up along Addison Street for the upcoming St Patrick’s Day celebrations David Sameshima
  • Lucky Strike Social signs now up on the Addison Clark project building David Sameshima
  • View from Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • The south side of the ballpark, along Addison Street David Sameshima
  • The south side of the ballpark, along Addison Street David Sameshima
  • The elevator shaft above the Wintrust Gate/Gate D David Sameshima
  • The south side of the ballpark, along Addison Street David Sameshima
  • The south side of the ballpark, along Addison Street David Sameshima
  • The elevator shaft above the Wintrust Gate/Gate D David Sameshima
  • Clark and Addison David Sameshima
  • Clark and Addison David Sameshima
  • Clark and Addison David Sameshima
  • Upper deck, above the marquee David Sameshima
  • Upper deck, above the marquee David Sameshima
  • Clark and Addison David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark, along Clark Street David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark, along Clark Street David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark, along Clark Street David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark, along Clark Street David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark, along Clark Street David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark, along Clark Street David Sameshima
  • Equipment backing into the construction site, on Clark Street David Sameshima
  • Hydraulic crane moving out onto Addison Street David Sameshima
  • Hydraulic crane backing up eastbound traffic on Addison Street David Sameshima
  • Hydraulic crane maneuvering into the work gate at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Eastbound Cornelia Street blocked at the Red Line tracks, due to the CTA construction project David Sameshima

BCB’s David Sameshima visited Wrigley Field Sunday afternoon. He says the photos mostly speak for themselves, and added, simply:

The tarps have mostly been removed, in both the left and right corners. They are starting to work on the cosmetics, so it is easier to see how both corners are taking shape.

As you can see (especially in the left-field corner) there is quite a bit of work remaining, including painting of steel that’s now white. It will no doubt be painted to match the green paint of the rest of the 1060 Project. The dormers that were removed to build the upper-deck patio and were being rebuilt are nearly complete.

One of the things the Cubs wanted to do with the 1060 Project was to restore the look of the ballpark in its “heyday,” considered to be the late 1920s through the late 1930s, when the team won four N.L. pennants. If you look at the photos that show the Addison Street side of the park and compare them to these 1938 World Series films, you can see that the team has accomplished that goal:

Yes, there are some differences, but the look is quite similar. You’ll also note that in the 1938 films, Wrigley gates are numbered instead of lettered, as they have been since at least the 1980s. It’s my understanding that the team is also going to restore these numbered gates, beginning at the Addison & Sheffield gate, which will be “Gate 1,” and go around the ballpark west, north, then east, to “Gate 10,” the bleacher gate number which has been there since the latest bleacher renovation in 2015.

The home opener against the Pirates is four weeks from today, April 8. Some things (particularly in the right-field corner area) won’t be ready for that, but most everything else will be.

Now we just have to get the weather to cooperate, something that did not happen last year.

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