clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Wrigley Field construction update: March 23

More work ongoing at the ballpark over the weekend.

By Al Yellon
  • Addison Street, at Lincoln Avenue David Sameshima
  • Clark and Addison David Sameshima
  • New patio, above the marquee David Sameshima
  • New patio, above the marquee David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side of the upper deck David Sameshima
  • Clark and Addison David Sameshima
  • Clark Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Traffic on Addison Street backs up, as crane maneuvers in the Addison and Sheffield intersection David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Upper deck above Gate D/Wintrust Gate David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Addison Street side David Sameshima
  • Painting above the new Wintrust Gate signage David Sameshima
  • Traffic backed up on Addison Street, due to construction equipment outside the ballpark David Sameshima
  • Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Traffic backed up on northbound Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Single lane open on Sheffield Avenue, due to construction work David Sameshima
  • Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Traffic backed up on westbound Addison Street, at Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Cubs Security directing traffic on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Old sod being driven to the Cubs Brown Lot David Sameshima
  • Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Gate D/Wintrust Gate, at Addison and Sheffield David Sameshima
  • Right field corner, along Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • New fencing along the Sheffield Avenue side of Gate D/Wintrust Gate David Sameshima
  • New fencing along the Sheffield Avenue side of Gate D/Wintrust Gate David Sameshima
  • Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • The right field corner, along Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Truck delivering sod, outside Gate Q on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Sod being unloaded, outside Gate Q on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • A peek inside Gate Q, on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Cubs Security directing traffic on Sheffield Avenue David Sameshima
  • Work taking place under the scoreboard David Sameshima
  • Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • The left field corner, along Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • The new extension between the bleachers and the grandstand, along Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • The new extension between the bleachers and the grandstand, along Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Underneath the new extension in the left field bleacher corner David Sameshima
  • Gate J/K-Left Field Gate, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Construction workers entering and leaving, in the left field corner, having their bags/buckets inspected by Cubs Security David Sameshima
  • Bags and buckets being inspected, in the left field corner, by Cubs Security David Sameshima
  • Gate J/K- Left Field Gate, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gate J/K- Left Field Gate, on Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • View looking north of Cubs players parking lot, along Seminary Avenue David Sameshima
  • The left field corner, along Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • The left field corner, along Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gate J/K-Left Field Gate, along Waveland Avenue David Sameshima
  • View looking toward Waveland Avenue, of the Cubs players parking lot David Sameshima
  • View looking north, of the Cubs players parking lot, along Seminary Avenue David Sameshima
  • Gallagher Way closed to the public on Saturday afternoon David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark David Sameshima
  • Gallagher Way closed to the public on Saturday afternoon David Sameshima
  • The west side of the ballpark David Sameshima
  • Crane set up at Clark and Addison David Sameshima
  • Crane lifting out dumpster, at Clark and Addison David Sameshima

BCB’s David Sameshima visited Wrigley Field Saturday afternoon and filed this report:

I arrived at Wrigley on Saturday afternoon. I knew that Sara Sanchez had visited on Friday, so I didn’t expect to add much to her photo gallery. That turned out to be wrong — there was still much I could photograph on Saturday.

At times traffic did become really backed up around the ballpark. Equipment had to be moved around the exterior of the ballpark. As a result, traffic would have to be stopped, to allow equipment to exit a gate and relocate to another location.

Along Sheffield Avenue there were two blockages. A hydraulic crane was working along the right field corner, and blocking a lane of traffic. In addition, a truck was parked outside of Gate Q, unloading new sod.

I felt bad for the construction workers, and the Cubs Security, who were directing traffic. I witnessed one motorist ignore a construction worker’s direction to stop, and drove around him, as a crane was maneuvering in the Addison and Sheffield intersection. I saw another motorist do this to a Cubs Security person who was directing the traffic around the crane on Sheffield Avenue. I also saw a frustrated motorist drive into an open construction gate on Sheffield Avenue, to make a three point turn, in order to turn around. I was too far away to photograph these incidents, or my view was blocked by other vehicles.

I did see Cubs utility carts hauling away bits of old sod. They appear to be hauling it all toward the Cubs Brown Lot, on Eddy Street. In the past they would lay out old sod along the wide sidewalk, outside the right field corner along Sheffield. The public was invited to take it. Since the current construction project began, they no longer have a public space available to do this.

On my previous visit to Wrigley last Sunday, Gallagher Way was open. In Sara’s visit on Saturday, it also appeared to be open. During my visit on Saturday, it was closed off, with a security person standing guard.

You can see a lot of progress was made even in one day, especially painting of some of the exposed steel on both the right- and left-field sides. The Cubs home opener against the Pirates is just 15 days away.

In This Stream

The renovation of Wrigley Field: Into the 21st Century

View all 632 stories

More From Bleed Cubbie Blue