April 27, 2011

Wrigleyville Renewal & Beyond

Whatever Happens to Wrigley Field
happens to this neighborhood
This blog post is a continuation of the post about the 
first 100 years of Wrigley Field 
but in this one is dedicated to the occurrences/changes
 in the neighborhood of Wrigleyville 
that includes the hang-outs along Clark Street
But First
Why is Wrigleyville just a neighborhood 
and not a official Community of Chicago??
the other recognized neighborhoods in Lake View are 
Lake View East, Boystown/NorthHalsted, and Graceland West
image below - The Chicago Neighborhood
a Wrigleyville Logo - Ebay
Vintage 90s Skybox Sheffield T-Shirt
zoomed below
2020 photo - Wrigley Aerials on Twitter
other current views
2021 photo - Wrigley Aerial
a video by drone
by Moses J. Polonio via Transit Chicago-Facebook
a Wrigleyville canvass image - Ebay
and artwork by Michael Birawer - Ebay
Wrigley Field is the economic and cultural engine of Wrigleyville. 
When the ballpark does well so does the surrounding community within Lake View. This community is not for everyone - there is a lot of visitors from the Chicagoland area that party here before and aftera game who at times do not respect the surrounding residential area that is intrinsically interlocked with the ballpark and the greater Community of Lake View.

The park’s great integration with its surroundings comes from the timing of its construction—built in 1914, it leaned on public transportation instead of cars—and the vision of its architect. Zachary Taylor Davis, known as the “Frank Lloyd Wright of Baseball,” grew up in Aurora, Illinois, and got his start in a very Chicago way, designing meat-packing plants and working as a draftsman for the legendary Louis Sullivan. Davis gave the park, initially named Weeghman Park after owner and charismatic businessman Charley "Lucky Charlie" Weeghman, a single-grandstand design. The steel-and-concrete structure with exposed bricks and steel beams reflected the city’s modern, industrial character. Wrigley has stood the test of time because it’s sewn into the urban fabric, from nightlife to street vendors. Hours before the game tonight, fans will stream into the Wrigleyville neighborhood, packing bars and restaurants. Those arriving by public transportation will step onto the platform at the Addison Red Line stop and look down on bustling streets and a view of the field. Nearby buildings are so close to the field that owners have even converted their rooftops to bleacher seating they sell to fans. - Curbed Chicago

William Olendorf via Ebay
Tom Lynch via Ebay
John Holladay via Ebay
History of Evolution & Renovations
(a video)
Another Perspective 
of our ballpark as of 2019

What’s also unique to Wrigley, is that it’s right in the middle of a neighborhood. One minute you’re passing two-flats, then you turn the corner on Addison Street and suddenly see the bright red marquee. Cubs’ second basemen Ben Zobrist, living only a mile away from the field, regularly bikes to games in his uniform and makes time to chat with neighbors. Now with a championship behind them, the Cubs have a new fandom. Much of the old Wrigleyville is shrinking and a flurry of new construction—hotels, restaurants, shops and apartments—is replacing it. We’ll help you get the full experience of the Major League’s second oldest ballpark—whether that means making sure your seat isn’t in front of a pillar or scooping up some insider tips. Welcome to the Friendly Confines, a nickname given to Wrigley by player Ernie Banks.

with Bill Murray against the Cardinals in 2021
It's a Generation Thing
true in 1985, true today
The Planned Wrigley Field Developments 
started in 2013:
The Historic 1060 Project
$750 million to do it!
the initial overview in 2013
The 'planned development' area outside the park space is visible to the left along Addison and west of the park along Clark Street with private development at Addison & Clark.
pre-construction aerial view below
aerial photo - DigitalGlobe
An Interactive Map Overview
of the Ballpark
a thanks to Earl Camembert
1914
vs
1938
vs
2019
Hockey - Winter Classic 2009
vs
College Football 2021
The Video Presentation
of the renovations
 + some video snips
existing vs planned
*The Politics of the 1060 Project*
and later in this post
Across the Street 
from Wrigley Field
on Clark
Addison & Clark
initial renderings
There was a plan to modernize a broad section of the Wrigleyville neighborhood next to the park. This project while planned since 2014 will be realized by 2016. The area will consist of retail space, rental apartments, a hotel and 399 underground parking spaces. Built along Addison and Clark Streets, the project's plan was to help improve an under-utilized areas, an open asphalt parking lot at the center of the neighborhood and widen area sidewalks; increase open and green space; and was projected to create several hundred jobs during construction of the massive planned development to the west of the newly renovated Wrigley Field.
The planned development was approved by the city council in 2010; marketed by the developer in 2012 and was to be completed 
by 2015. The plan called for an hotel but the idea was withdrawn in 2013 for just rental residential use
The Revised Plan





The new renderings released Dec.18, 2015 below show an updated design for the $140 million mixed-use development 

 1st floor
 2nd floor
 3rd floor


Luis Auto Repair & Sports World on the southeast corner of Clark and Addison remained. The family business of Luis Auto finally sold out by a few years and moved to Western Avenue
The Business Hold -Out
the business that had been at this location for decades 
sold out to the developer after the project's completion
leaving a vacant space to be filled
photos - Luis Auto Repair Facebook page
Its replacement by 2021
A Shopping Mall was Planned
for this location in 1989
  Business's Removed 
from the Landscape
for the 'Addison & Clark' Development:

The city approved the development in October 2013 after years of planning. On Monday, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) said financing for the project should be in place by the end of 2015, but some leases were still being negotiated according to DNAinfo 

Goose Island Wrigleyville
photo - Chicago Beer Project
One of the most popular of the businesses to
 depart from the landscape was Goose Island-Clark Street
back yard photo - USA Today 

Salt & Pepper Diner
image - Chicago Tribune 2016
Salt & Pepper building was once a storage 
for Wrigley Field decades ago
the ironic neon
2016 photo - Garry Albrecht
Salt & Pepper Diner opened at 2575 N Lincoln Avenue in 1965. The owner John Halle opened the Wrigleyville location in 1996. The Lincoln Park spot closed in 2012


The Red Ivy 
Mullen's on Clark
The Starbucks on Addison 
with a video
heading back to the ballpark from Starbucks
The Notice
2015 photo - Garry Albrecht
Other Development 
Space Areas
2016 photos - Garry Albrecht
view north toward Starbucks
along Clark south of Addison
along Clark Street south of Addison
 the 7-11 fenced in - southwest corner of Addison & Sheffield
with a view of 7-11 from across the street
 view of the southeast corner of Addison & Clark
from across the street
 view east on Addison Street from the 
old Starbucks building
7-11
now gone on the southwest corner of Sheffield & Addison
photo - Chicago Cityscape
The Ceremony
 for this Planned Development
Congress Quigley, Mayor Emanuel, Alderman Tunney and the developer at opening ceremony in 2016
photo - WrigleyFieldNews.com
 But First, 
You Dig a Big Hole in the Ground
the future hotel space
  photos - BuildingUpChicagoDotCom  
The Landscape's History 
of that Planned Developement Area
in Maps
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1894
1923
1950
zoomed view below
storage building
and future sight of Salt & Pepper
on Addison Street
an aerial Google Map view
and closer view below - via Block Club of Chicago
Rendering & Blueprint - DNAinfo
A Hostel
Along Clark Street
This was a piecemeal of a development. The first phase was a renovation of an existing building and then new construction buttressed along its north
the renovated building with addition view below
The Re-Construction 
of the Ballpark
Begins ...
September 2014
*The First 100 Years is in Another Post*
video by WGN

 
This new Plaza is to be an open area with an ice rink during the winter; open field during the summer for the days and evenings the Cubs are not in town; to be meant for those in the community that would like an alternative to bars on Clark Street. "Parents may enjoy a glass of wine on a summer movie night on the plaza with the kids. This limit would hurt those sort of events," said Dennis Culloton, spokesman for the Ricketts family, reported by DNAinfo
After days of lobbying for political support for the financing of the project, the Cubs on Tuesday released some early renderings of the proposed renovations and development, which include clubhouses built underneath the playing surface, the addition of several upper-deck patios facing Clark and Addison streets, wider concourses and another version of the long-awaited 'Triangle'. - Chicago Tribune 
An Area Map 
around Wrigley Field
(click images to enlarge)
According to sources, the plan envisions as much as $200 million in public taxpayer assistance for a $400-million rebuild of Wrigley, with officials given a menu of potential funding options to get the needed cash. - Redeye August 22, 2011. 
2011 photo below - Wrigley Field Aerials
A Much Narrow Sheffield Avenue
East Lake View Neighborhood Association 
vetoed this plan in 2013
'Sheffield Avenue will be narrowed to a width of 23 feet. Residential parking will be prohibited along the east side of Sheffield. Eighty-four residential units (this includes both Sheffield and Waveland) will be directly affected by this change. Our community will lose about 50 residential parking spaces for 365 days a year to benefit the Cubs on 80 plus days a year. East Lake View Neighbors is concerned as to the resulting impacts to charter bus loading and to fire trucks and emergency vehicle which now use Sheffield Avenue.'
a 1987 view of Sheffield by Mark Susina via Flickr
The Street Difference
2014 vs 2017
2016 photo - Lori K. Jones via Original Chicago-Facebook
The Control 
of the Advertising
The ad dollars is one of many sub-stories of this renovation
always as been
photo via Jeff Nichols, Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
The privately owned rooftop signs vs Wrigley Field signs 
became the battle for shared revenue dollars
photo above - Sports Illustrated
rendering below - Restore Wrigley Field.com
from Southport Corridor News & Events
A 650-square-foot scripted "Wrigley Field" mock-up sign, which ultimately will change to fit a new Budweiser marketing partnership, was shown as it would be if moved onto Sheffield Avenue. Given the location and size - down from the 1,000 square feet of a previous mock-up in May - "every rooftop partner on Sheffield will be able to have views inside the ballpark," spokesman Julian Green said. 
per 2013 DNAinfo
Some 
Neighborhood Associations 
Non-Starters

The purpose of neighborhood associations is to consider and act upon citizen needs. A main function of neighborhood associations is to encourage citizen participation and broaden communication between its neighborhood and various organizations and individuals concerning matters affecting neighborhood livability. - Wikipedia

The proposed walk-bridge over Clark Street to the ballpark from the proposed hotel was defeated by the City Council in November 2013 with strong opposition from the Lake View neighborhood associations. The Cubs management floated an idea of a party deck over Sheffield but the same group of associations were animatedly opposed to it so it was eventually scratched by the Cubs organization agenda within a few months later.
The Neighborhood Voices
to City Hall
Not everyone was happy about this new ballpark changes!
photos - LakeView Patch


Meetings at City Hall
photos - LakeView Patch 


 The Neighborhood Meetings 
were Continuous in 2013
 photos - Lake View Patch



That Damn 
Parking Issue!
A car tower was proposed on the Wrigley Field's Brown Parking Lot  on Grace Street but it did not get the neighborhood association approval due to increase traffic on a quiet residencial street.
 This map shows the parking lots near the field as of 2014
A remote lot at 3900 N Rockwell Street (below map) was to be used as a shuttle service to the ballpark.
 public transportation map 
by bus and rail 2014
public transportation by the elevated at
Addison and Sheridan stations in 2014
While not forgetting the old-time tradition of using 
private property parking (2021) available by local residents 
below photos - SpotHero



as an alternative long before the building at 3115 Broadway was converted to private residential use by 2021

"The goal of the 1060 Project is simple: to preserve the beauty, charm and historic features of the Wrigley Field fans have cherished for more than a century, while upgrading the overall game day experience. The project team brings local and national experience working on historic facilities and respects its responsibility to maintain the unique atmosphere of the park.

The Cubs and the project team are inspired by the one-of-a-kind experiences Wrigley Field provides: walking up the stairs and seeing the lush, green field; tracking the game's progress via the iconic, hand-operated scoreboard; measuring the time of the year by the amount of ivy covering the brick outfield walls. Fans cherish the Wrigley Field Marquee on the park's exterior and the sightlines to the field, which are unmatched by any other ballpark in baseball.

To ensure the integrity of the Friendly Confines is maintained throughout all phases of the restoration, the design team visited a number of iconic ballparks and stadiums -- including Fenway Park, Dodger Stadium and the Rose Bowl -- that recently underwent major renovations. These efforts, in addition to countless hours of research on Wrigley Field and its history, were performed before starting the construction.

The goal of this project is to make sure we preserve and protect Wrigley Field for future generations, improve the game day experience for fans and provide the Cubs the resources they need to field a winning team. To do this the right way, we assembled a project team with a passion for the local Chicago community, coupled with vast experience around the globe."

'For all its quirks and charms and age and things you love and hate, is most certainly not "intact". In fact, there's now almost nothing left from the original edifice constructed in 1914. In fact, the last part of any "original" construction was demolished in 2005. My point is that Wrigley Field is a living, changing entity and always has been. Even the "perimeter walls" that are supposed to be preserved haven't been; the outer walls behind the bleachers on Waveland and Sheffield date only from 2006. While that would obviously be a significant change, the ballpark has had many such changes over the years; even though certain parts are landmarked, it's not anywhere close to the baseball stadium that was first built at Clark and Addison 99 years ago. In fact, what the Cubs plan to do will make it look more like the version of Wrigley that existed when the Cubs were winning pennants in the 1920s and 1930s, than at any time since.'

One Last look 
before Renovations Begin!
photos - Ebay
the view from Patterson Avenue & Clark Street
photo - Bob Russel via Pictures of Chicago-Facebook
The Rooftop 
Evolution
 Its about who owned $$ ad space 

In the 80’s the Cubs experienced a revived popularity and interest in the team, some entrepreneurs began constructing more sophisticated seating arrangements on these once crude rooftop properties. Some owners began to charge admission to their establishments. This did not bode well with the Cubs organization. Management tolerated these entrepreneurial endeavors for almost a decade, until the rooftops became organized and profitable businesses. The Cubs believed this encroached on their business and used the Cubs for personal and financial gain”. Discussions quickly began between the property owners and the Chicago Cubs. In 2004, 11 of the 13 established rooftops settled and agreed to pay 17% of gross revenue in exchange for official endorsement. - Wrigley View Rooftop

'Wrigley Field was part of the neighborhood.  Today, it is the neighborhood.  Nowhere can you see the disruptive effect of the new 'moneyball economics' than among the greystones. Those guys on the roof with their folding chairs have long since gone the way of the Potawatomi.  As early as 1938, the Sheffield Baseball Club sold $5.00 rooftop seats for the World Series, but after the Trib bought the team, the trend hit warp speed, fueled by 1989 a Championship series sold-out in the stadium.  Bare rooftops became slightly more finished rooftops, and then apartments became clubhouses.  A guy named Tom Gramatis became a “rooftop mogul”, owning not just the Sheffield Baseball Club, but two other buildings, as well. 

Instead of places to live, the greystones and their neighbors became, over time, the strange machines of a mutant urbanism, creating a Magritte-like architectural landscape where rooftop after rooftop is crowned with its own metallic bleachers.  If baseball has become a billionaires' clubhouse, rooftop clubs are the millionaires’ outpost, with estimated annual revenues exceeding $20 million. Worried rooftop owners are fighting back, trying to stop closing the streets on game days, and coming up with a counter-proposal to allow the Cubs to place advertising signs, not at Wrigley Field, where they might block rooftop views, but on the rooftops themselves, producing perhaps $10 million in new revenue, to be shared with the Cubs, who quickly dismissed the idea. Will the Ricketts continue to land bank their way through Wrigleyville?  Rooftop owners retain a paranoid fear that the Ricketts's ultimate goal is to drive them out of business and buy up their properties on the cheap.  And those aren't the only parcels that might be had at a bargain.' - Architecture Chicago Plus


photo - ABC Eye Witness News

photo 2006 - Wikipedia
once the location of the independent rooftoppers 
along Sheffield Avenue
 photo - scottishritechicago.org 

photo - The Cub Dom

photo - Chicago Now

photo - Wrigleyville Rooftops
 
interior photos of the 'Skybox' 
one of several rooftoppers on Sheffield Avenue



Example of Rooftop Construction

'When the Wrigley Field renovation project is completed, the curse on the Cubs will be broken, according to lifelong fan Trudy Achaetel. "I know for sure," said Achaetel, an Andersonville resident decked out in Cubs gear Saturday. "I feel it. But win, lose or draw, I'll be here." Achaetel, who calls herself "just a fan," twirled around on the pitcher's mound at the ballpark Saturday morning, saying "I'm worse than a 2-year-old, I'm so excited." Her excitement was shared by public officials, Cubs executives, former players and other community members, all of whom convened at the ballpark Saturday to officially break ground on the $575 million project. Though the first phase of construction started a couple of weeks ago, team representatives used the ground-breaking ceremony to share tales of the ballpark's history, and to explain why its facilities - famously panned by former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who complained the rats were as big as pigs - were due for an upgrade.
 - DNAinfo
EAMUS CATULI!
Lakeview Baseball Club, like the Chicago Cubs, is legendary. Twenty-six years (1989) after opening the doors of Lakeview Baseball Club, this Chicago Rooftop is the leader of connecting Major League Baseball tradition to the present. Lakeview Baseball Club is instantly recognizable because of its historic “Eamus Catuli!” and AC signs that cheer on the beloved Cubs and remind all fans how long it’s been since we’ve won the division, pennant, and World Series. 
photos - Facebook page
photo below - Ebay
Ricketts's
as of 2021
 map via DNAinfo
The Lakeview Baseball Club
3633 N Sheffield Avenue
since 1996?
Once regarded as the first independent commercial 
Rooftop in Wrigleyville
photos & images - their Facebook page and other sources
t-shirt - part of my collection 


Some Construction
Prep Work
photo - Cubs: 100 A Century at Wrigley
photos - DNAinfo
'Water, sewer and gas crews will begin excavating, repairing and installing new lines this week. Locals can expect parking restrictions and traffic snarls in coming weeks. From Thursday to Sunday, a stretch of Sheffield Avenue near Wrigley Field will be closed as city crews work on water and sewer infrastructure, according to the Cubs and Alderman Tom Tunney (44th). Starting Tuesday, the east side of the street will remain closed from 8 a.m. each day to two hours before the start of any Wrigley Field event. Personnel and equipment must be removed before games or events, the Cubs said in a statement Tunney said locals impacted by the construction can park for free in the Cubs' Green Lot, 1126 W Grace Street on nonevent days. To be eligible, people must live in an area bordered by Addison to the south, Racine and Clark to the west, Irving Park to the north, and Wilton to the east. Neighbor-parking applications are available in the Cubs office at 3712 N. Clark Street. - DNAinfo
Deconstruction Views
2014 photos - David McCoy
and 
by SB Nation November 

One of the  goals is to debut a bleacher expansion, five outfield signs and two video boards by Opening Day 2015, said Julian Green, a spokesman for the team. Construction crews also will lay the foundation for a 30,000-square-foot underground players clubhouse, slated to debut in 2016.
A Small Conservation Project:
Restoring the Caretakers' House
'The Chicago Cubs moved the historic caretaker's house back to its original location at the northwest corner of Wrigley Field. The building was supposed to be returned by Opening Day, but cold weather has delayed many aspects of the first phase of renovations, including the completion of the bleachers. It took over three hours to move the structure a couple hundred feet south, with construction crews using large steel plates in the path of travel to help distribute the weight and prevent [a drop] in the rain-soaked ground. As the house inched along, Wrigleyville residents paused at the sight, asking workers what was happening. Some, of course, snapped photos.' - DNAinfo
a retro postcard from my personal collection of the house
photo - Chicago Tribune
The Rats are Now
Homeless
 photo - Curbed Chicago
“We’ve had an influx of rats and rodents /video just scrabbling all over the neighborhood,” said resident and Wrigley Field neighbor Terie Kata. “Nothing like I’ve seen in the 23 years I’ve lived here.”
Winter 2015 Scenes
by Wrigley Report-Facebook
 photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
  photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
  photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
 photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook 
  photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
 photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook 
  photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
  photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
  photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
  photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
 photo - Wrigley Report-Facebook
More Pre-Season Scenes
by Wrigley Renovations-Facebook

photo - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook

 photo - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook

photo - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook

photo - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook
photo - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook
photo - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook

photo - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook

photos - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook
Progress
March 2015 by WGN
No Longer Needed
photo snip from above video link
The house that once advertised for the Rickett's Restaurant (once located on Clark Street just south of Diversey), Budweiser, WGN, and United Airlines from its' own roof top and seen by patrons from the baseball field and TV screens is now history due to the jumbo advertising sign that was installed in front of it. 
photos - DNA info
photos below - Wrigley Renovation-Facebook

Aerial Spring 
2015 Photos
photos - Chicago Cubs-Facebook
view east towards the lakefront

view north to northeast

view east to northeast

view northwest

 view west to northwest above view west below

First Game 
During Renovation in 2015
was all about the washrooms
pre renovation photos
photos - CBC & SB Nation
The Jumbotron Worked!!

photos -  Cubs 100: A Century at Wrigley-Facebook

like a big TV screen in the sky
photos - Cub Hub-Facebook
A new tradition begins in the park! 
When the Cubs win a game a 'W' light remains on
2015 photo below - Jay Cody 
and a rainbow appears .... just kidding!!
Jumbotron near completion
photos - Wrigley Renovations

The Food
 and Drink Evolves
and by 2017
New Bleachers 
Installed in 2015
photo below - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook
as Retirees
The Brick Paver 
Scandal
photo - Pontiac Daily Leader

A Massive Triangular Hole 
in the Earth in June 2015
photo - Wrigley Renovations on Facebook
photo below - DNAinfo
July 4, 2015
photo - ChiCitySports
A new tradition for the field occurred on July 4th 
after a winning game
Noisy Construction Starts 
Before 7 a.m
This is still a neighborhood, ya know!!

The Cubs organization reported in 2015 that a Japanese vehicle manufacturer will have its logo on the panel beneath the Wrigley Field marquee at Clark and Addison, the team said. Toyota will also have in-game rotational signs behind home plate and on the left field video board, while continuing to sponsor in-game manager challenges and umpire reviews. Beginning in 2016, the company will have field-level signs and naming rights to the team's parking lots, which are currently color-coded.
Flying the 
BIG W
photos via Chicago Tribune article 
The Videos's 
with Photos Snips
 Let's Fly the W 
photos snips below
The Cubs are on a roll!
'And Wrigleyville celebrated — responsibly, for the most part. The Cubs, in the one-game playoff, mowed down the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 Wednesday night. Jake Arrieta pitched a complete game, stole a base and was in the middle of a bench-clearing showdown after getting hit with a pitch. After it was over, fans in Wrigleyville bars flooded the streets. Clark Street was packed with ecstatic fans. They swarmed outside Wrigley Field, bathed in blue lights of police cars. They jumped on top of each other and on cars. They poured beer and screamed. The Cubs are moving on in the playoffs.'
photos below - DNAinfo
Almost did it! 
The Stats by ESPN
(more to read)
Back to Those Renovations 
in November 2015
Construction continues in earnest once again with street closures and reduction in traffic flow. 
Closures and lane reductions:
• Waveland Avenue from Clark to Seminary, Nov. 2-April 10
• The south section of the alley east of Clifton will be closed north of Waveland, Nov. 2-April 10
• Clark Street will be temporarily reduced to one lane during construction at the intersection of Clark and Waveland
• Clifton will be closed at Waveland, Nov. 2-Dec. 7
• Clark will be reduced to one lane going north at Waveland. Southbound traffic diverted north of Waveland, Nov. 2-Dec. 7.
• The north curb lane of Addison will be closed from 
Sheffield to Clark, Nov. 2, 2015-April 10, 2016

photos - SBNation
The Green & White
still to be seen
photos & text 2023
The Building that
anchors the Triangle Space
rendition of the Plaza - DNAinfo
'This year [2016], work is focused on the office building, a state-of-the-art team clubhouse and the plaza, which some hope will become a town square for the neighborhood for events and gatherings. The Cubs envision hosting farmers markets and children's movies on non-game nights and creating an ice rink in the winter. Beyond that, they'd like to host up to 25 larger-scale events on the plaza per year and allow people to carry alcohol within its perimeter. But that depends on what neighbors will agree to' according to DNAinfo.
According to Curbed Chicago, similar to the video boards and the landmark marquee at the entrance of the ballpark, the new Wrigley Field Plaza will sport corporate signage and take the name of its sponsor once it has been opened to the public. Below is a photo Chris Cullen via Picture Of Chicago-Facebook of the construction
 Wrigley Field's 
Naked Facade
2 photos - Cubs 100 A Century At Wrigley
Lights, Camera ... Action!
On 20th season of the TV program called The Bachelor 
our baseball field was highlighted
video snips 
Some Plaza Construction
Photos
via Wrigley Renovations-Facebook 2016
 
 
 
 
 
the old caretaker house surrounded 
& overshadowed by construction 
2016 photo - Brian Weber via LakeView Historical-Facebook
Bye Bye to 
McDonald's for now
3610 N Clark Street
2016 photo below - Second City Chicago Network
photo - Loria K. Jones via Original Chicago-Facebook
photo below - Southport Corridor News & Events
photo below- Curbed Chicago
view north from Addison Street
There was tow entrance to McDonald's, one on Addison to their parking lot and one on Clark to the restuarant
Taco Bell 
to be gone as well for now
to be replaced with a fitness center building
that will included a Taco Bell

The foundation was layed in 2020



 Now, Let's Review
at this point
This Chicago Tribune maps scores the changes to the field
from 2015-2018 if kept on schedule
Phase 1 in 2015

Phase 2 in 2016 
Phase 3 in 2017
and
Phase 4 in 2018

What's Next??
The Outside the Field
map - Redeye/Chicago Tribune
 Another Development 
on Clark Street
The Wheel House Hotel
currently called
The Chicago Hotel Collection-Wrigleyville
3469 - 3475 N Clark Street
renditions - Curbed Chicago
A Plat Survey
via 44th ward development page
still on thier web page as of 2022
2010 Google View
2021 Google View
The Marquee Returns
in April 2016
photos - DNAinfo
Two Chicago permits were issued to re-install the marquee per Chicago CityScape – a online organization that watchdogs the permit process in Chicago Project Description: Baseball stadium; new exterior steel framing to reinstall historic marquee over the main entrance southwest corner worth $450k.
the reverse side of it
 below photo - Briangarza1/Instagram 
via Southport Corridor & News Events
Construction Update
2016 April 
removing the old & replaceing with the new
A Clubhouse is Completed
 for the Opener
An Opening Day 
Warning
photo via News4JAX
'Taping an appearance on WLS 890-AM’s April 2016 the public-affairs program “Connected to Chicago,” [Congressman] Quigley mentioned new rules from Major League Baseball calling for fans to go through metal detectors, adding, “I think Opening Day you'll see more metal detectors [at Wrigley] than at any park in baseball, but this will present other issues,” perhaps with lines of fans “spilling into the street.” Quigley also said that, with Wrigley being within 6 feet of the street at one point, that made it “about as big a target as any we could imagine.” Quigley suggested Clark and Addison streets be closed to traffic or at least bus-only before, during and after games, a concept floated by team management at the Cubs Convention in January, but rejected thus far by the Emanuel administration.' - DNAinfo
2016 Opener 
During Construction
 both photos - DNAinfo
This was another first day opener during an entire year of
continued renovations with a few years more to go ....
April 11, 2017 by DNAinfo
'Iron sunbursts, metal detectors and a brand-new clubhouse greeted the Chicago Cubs upon their return to Wrigley Field in the season home opener Monday, which the Cubs rallied to win 5-3. Renovation crews worked furiously to ready a half-finished plaza, new ticket offices and a refreshed facade in time for the 7:05 p.m. game against the Cincinnati Reds, Cubs spokesman Julian Green said. "Fans will see the ballpark returned to its majesty of the 1930s," Green said.'
photos below - DNAinfor




Some News 
on the Cubs 
2016 photo - New York Times
photo - Ian Common via Pictures of Chicago-Facebook 
 photo - Ian Common via Pictures of Chicago-Facebook 
photo - Ian Common via Pictures of Chicago-Facebook 
‘While the Cubs’ .769 winning percentage is extraordinary, it is not completely off the charts. Last year’s leaders through the games of May 3, the Cardinals, were at .750, and most leaders at this point in recent times were around .700. There is always a hot team or two at the beginning of the season, and many of them fade. What is different this year is that the Cubs are backing up their record by winning their games by large margins.’ - New York Times
 images - part of my collection

Watch the Renovations
via Wrigley Aerials/Twitter
(like Facebook you needed to register to view)
photos - Wrigley Aerials-Twitter
A May 9 2014 before noticeable construction
the famous advertised roof on Waveland
 March 29 2016 - Still needed to break ground for hotel

the intersection of Addison and Clark streets

moving westward 
view west along Clark Street of future plaza
View northwest from Clark Street of future hotel/plaza site

view north & westward along Clark Street 

The Vintage Filing Station 
on Patterson/Clark
photo - Roadside Architecture
A vintage 'cottage style' building was once a much larger  former Gulf Oil Filing Station on Clark Street and Patterson Avenue is now surrounded by construction with its fate unclear. By 2016 the garages surrounding it were replaced with only the office remains.
a 2009 Google Map view along with
a zoomed view below
the filing station property as it look in 2009 via Google Maps
a 2017 Google Map view
and below a 1950 Sanborn Fire Map view of it
The Question of 
Liquor in the Triangle
rendering - Chicago Tribune
'Following a terse response from Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) cautioning against the Wrigley Field plaza's application for a patio liquor license, the team's owners fired back with an appeal to neighbors Monday. The Ricketts family owns Hickory Street Capital, which will handle operations of the plaza and the hotel across the street. In an email to Wrigleyville neighbors, Hickory Street heralded the plaza's "long-awaited opening," which it promise would turn 
"a once-abandoned area into a celebrated open space." The Cubs' concessionaire filed for an outdoor patio liquor license on Thursday, skirting stalled negotiations with Tunney and community leaders over the Wrigley Field plaza ordinance.' - per a DNA 2016
From the Alderman
'Dear Neighbors, 
As you may know, the Cubs have applied for an Outdoor Patio License on the plaza adjacent to Wrigley Field along Clark Street.  We have heard from a number of concerned neighbors about the size and scope of this outdoor patio and the lack of any specifics on operations and security measures from the Cubs. I am also very concerned with the ability to serve alcohol to thousands of people on the plaza [as a patio] every day of the year until 11pm on weeknights and midnight on weekends.  The size of this patio is unprecedented in Chicago with an estimated occupancy of up to 6000 people; while currently, the largest outdoor patio in the city holds roughly 250.  Prior to this application, we had been working with the Cubs, community leaders and City departments to craft a Sports Plaza Ordinance. The ordinance is designed to create a new license that allows for limited alcohol sales in conjunction with baseball games and stadium concerts while offering events and amenities for the community to enjoy. The ordinance regulates the hours, limits offerings to beer and wine, regulates the points of sale, mandates security measures, and sets noise limitations on the plaza.' – Alderman Tom Tunney 2016 June
Compromise Reached 
on the Plaza
The agreement permits the Cubs to operate the plaza with different hours on game days and for special events. The new proposal would still require fans to have tickets to get on the plaza, but it would sell beer and wine until one hour after the game ends. Previously, alcohol sales were to be cut off at the same time as inside the ballpark after the seventh inning. - DNAinfo 
New Field, New Team,
& now a New Look??!!
who wears short shorts via Chicago Cubs-Facebook
photo snips 
We are on Jeopardy
2016 photo - Lori K. Jones via Original Chicago-Facebook
with comments from the show
Our Arch Rival 
in 2016
photo - Jerry Carroll via Pictures of Chicago
below photo - Chicago Cub Fans-Facebook
American Airlines 
1914 Club
The excavation for this space began in November 2016. The baseball diamond area was torn-up per this video from WGN.
illustration - Chicago Tribune

but I must dig it
photo snips
with other night views
Across the Street...
The Hotel Zachary
3630 N Clark Street
photos - DNAinfo
“The goal of our development is to create a town hub, where families, fans and visitors find entertainment, great food and daily attractions in an urban park setting," said Crane Kenney, chairman of Hickory Street Capital & president of Cubs business operations. The hotel will partner with restaurant groups like One Off Hospitality (Big Star), 4 Star Restaurant Group (Crosby's Kitchen), Folkart Restaurant Management (Yusho) and West Town Bakery to fill the 238,000-square-foot building ' - DNAinfo

Chicago Tribune images - Garry Albrecht
renderings - DNAinfo
take some virtual tours
We Won the Pennant
 after 71 Years via WGN
photos - Garry Albrecht
newspaper is part of my collection
 
 The Cub's Year to WIN 
the World Series!??
photo - Dolores Davison Schroeder 
via Original Chicago-Facebook
2016 photo - NBC Chicago
waiting for it ...
2016 photo - DNAinfo
preparing for it ...
2016 photo - DNAinfo
photo - Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images via NBC Chicago 
photo - ABC7 Chicago
photo - Chicago History-Facebook
Our New Song 
for the Playoffs

Official Cubs Parody by Joey Busse

Shoe 
and Chicago Cubs
when the Cubs did suck
This book is from my personal collection
This comic book was published in 1988 shortly after the lights were installed at Wrigley Field and the team 
had a more then recent history of 'sucking'. 

 These were a few selection pages from the comic book
Cubs celebrated through the night
'After an historic, come-from-behind win to clinch their National League Division Series, the Cubs celebrated through the night and arrived in Wrigleyville at dawn to a throng of ecstatic fans. The Cubs scored four runs in the 9th inning to beat the San Francisco Giants 
6-5, taking the best-of-5 series 3 games to 1. 
After partying on the field, dumping champagne and beer on each in the locker room, the players headed back to Wrigley Field. Some got on the jet still soaked. The team will face either the Washington Nationals or the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, which begins Saturday at Wrigley Field. The Nationals-Dodgers series is tied 2-2.' - DNAinfo
renovations continue during the playoffs
 What The Cubs Mean To Me: Cub Fans Share Their Favorite Memories
October 2016
We asked Cubs fans to share their favorite memories of their favorite team. Fans provided some vivid memories of their time at Wrigley Field, how the Cubs have been a key facet of their lives and how their late relatives would have loved this year's team.
Check out the responses below.
"This picture is of me and my dad, Tim. It was taken by our neighbor in 1983, I was around 2 years old. My parents raised me as a Cubs fan from the moment i left my mother's womb. Dad passed away from colon cancer in 2010 and wasn't able to see what we all saw [Saturday] in his lifetime. We would have and should have watched this game together. I cried like a baby after the final double play and will cry even harder when the Cubs win the world series. My first thoughts are always about him and all of the Cubs games we watched and went to." - David Guyon, Montclare
We would get there early for batting practice — all 5 of us — and stay until the last out of the second game of a doubleheader. We always sat in the upper deck along the first-base line so we could see into the Cubs' dugout, and because the tickets were cheap. My mom brought tuna sandwiches and apples for us kids, and her needlepoint and New Yorker magazine because she knew we were in it for the long haul. My dad got us all scorecards because you can't go to a game if you don't keep score. We could see the guys on the rooftops, sitting in their lawn chairs and grilling on little hibachis. There were "bums" in the bleachers, and vast swaths of empty seats. Sometimes my brother and sister and I got bored and we ran around in our section. There was plenty of room to run. And grumble and curse and dream of a day when our team wouldn't suck so bad. "Don't say 'suck,'" my mom would say. "It's so vulgar."
"They're our team, win or lose. We don't mind suffering. We are diehard fans," my dad would remind us on the (many) occasions when they lost even though it looked like it took a lot out of him to say it. And when they won, he would smile and buy us ice cream in little plastic novelty Cubs hats and he'd joke around with the vendors and the Andy Frain ushers in their blue uniforms with the ties and jackets with the gold buttons. The season always ended with the mantra "wait 'til next year". And the next years came and they went and there was more waiting and more turns around the sun and everything changed at the ballpark except that phrase: wait til next year. They flirted with success a time or two. And I was there at Game 6 in 2003, when the World Series was in reach and a bunch of guys got spooked by a foul ball and a goat and a million or so people who got spooked along with them. 
When they lost Game 7 the next night, my dad left me a voicemail message. "It's your old dad. I'm going to bed. I'm sorry I ever made you a Cubs fan." So tonight, when I called that guy — my dad, the one who made me a Cub fan, the stoic lawyer who sees the downside, the catch, the cloud in every silver lining — and that man said, "Isn't it wonderful?" and then his voice broke and quivered and he said that he loved us all, and then caught himself and warned us of everything that could go wrong in Cleveland...well, today I can honestly say I'm happy he made me a Cubs fan. - Lindsay Porter
via Scott Stantis on Twitter
below via Chicago History-Facebook
it got international attention from the BBC
Some of the Scenes
that Evening
arriving by train before the game at the CTA Addison Station
photo - Emanuel Torres, Pictures of Chicago-Facebook
via Jron Samayoa, Original Chicago-Facebook
photos below - DNAinfo 





The CSO Even Gets into the Act
(video)
The World Series Continues 
& So Does 
the Construction
edited Google Maps view
development area labeled  
photos below - Garry Albrecht








 After 108
Long Faithful Years!
video from Chicago Cubs-Facebook
other views
photo - Business Leader
photo - NBC News
photo - ABC7 News

 Matt Slucom Associated Press via Chicago Tribune

photo of Bill Murray - Denver Post
photos below - DNAinfo
An Official CTA Poster 
 by artist Steve Musgrave
photo - Garry Albrecht
'The players arrived by bus around 6 a.m. to the cheers of fans. Many never left the streets around the ballpark after the Cubs' thrilling extra-inning victory. "Rizzo! Rizzo!" people screamed as the first baseman raised the Commissioner's Trophy. Later, people reached past a line of officers to touch the trophy as he walked by. "I touched it!" one man bragged after Anthony Rizzo swept by. Other players, like pitcher Jake Arrieta, waved to the crowd or raised an index finger to show: We're No. 1. "I said we gotta be here when they come back to welcome them back home," said Bill Pryek, 71, of Wrigleyville, who stood in the crowd with his wife. "They're not only bringing home the championship, but just to see these guys who did so well for us. Unbelievable. Every one of them." Pryek and his wife live across the street from Wrigley Field. During Game 7, he was sitting on the edge of his chair, he said. He's been a Cubs fan his whole life and was born in 1946 - the year after the Cubs last appeared in the World Series. "At my age, it doesn't take a whole heck of a lot of stress," he joked, alluding to the tense last innings of Game 7. Officers, who stood between the players and buses and the fans gathered to see them, snapped photos and video of the scene. They looked at each other's videos afterward and talked about what they had seen. The night had gone quickly, one officer said to another, smiling, and it had been one of the best nights he'd worked. Nearby, two Cubs fans joked they had enjoyed Game 7 — but they wondered who was going to end up winning Game 8. 
- DNAinfo article
A Cubs fan celebrates on a traffic light at the intersection of Clark & Addison after the Cubs won the National League Championship according to WBEZ
The Big WIN Parade 
within Lake View 
photos - Chicago Cubs / Twitter 
The parade began at Wrigley Field and ended in Grant Park
 both photos - Calumet 412
A Sidebar Happenstance
a community expression of thanks
on the wall of bricks
video from Block Club Chicago
more photo views:
photo - Kansas City Star
photo - Chicago Patch
photo - Chicago Tribune
photo - DNAinfo

photo - Chicago Tribune

photo - DNAinfo
photo - Fox Sports

photo - DNAinfo
photo below - SunTimes
An Inspiring Melody
via Chicago Cubs-Facebook
A Meeting 
at the White House
photo - Obama via Twitter
College Football 
Returns
while inviting others to join in
Aerial Views 2017
by Wrigley Aerials-Facebook
with a time-laps video - Chicago Cubs
 all photos - Wrigley Renovation-Facebook


Re-Defining the Purpose
of the Plaza in 2017
is the park for the entire community 
or just the Cub ticket holders?
rendering - Chicago Cubs MLB
and a few days later ...
called the Park at Wrigley Field
photos - Wayne Johnson-Facebook 
photos below - Garry Albrecht

 
A New Uniform Look 
for the Fans!!??
photo - fan club T-shirt
First Home Opener Schedule
 in 2017
where to go in Wrigleyville

A Walk in the Fountain
by Wayne Johnson
below photo - Lauren Wood 
via Southport Corridor News & Events
from across the street in the hotel



The Premier 
$$ Clubs Rooms
I would call them corporate suites of special event rooms 
or for those who could afford it party rooms

According to the Cubs organization, the American Airlines 1914 Club is scheduled to be ready for Opening Day 2018. The remaining three premier clubs - the Maker's Mark Barrel Room, The W Club and the Catalina Club - are scheduled to be ready for Opening Day 2019.
Beyond Home Plate 
2017 photos - Greg O'Neill


Forgiveness 
but probably never forget
More than 2500 Games
On April 26, 1941, the Cubs became the first Major League team to have organ music at a ballgame. Although the experiment lasts only a day, it would return for good in 1967. - Chicagology
We Almost Did it Again
but what a ride
Construction
the same as last year
construction continues during the playoffs
photo - BuildingUpChicagoDotCom
 photo - DNAinfo article
photo - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter via BuildingUpChicago.com
  photos - DNAinfo article
Owner Ricketts signing the final beam
to the hotel
Not This Year!
dear Cub Fans
image - Pinterest
 image - Pinterest

CHICAGO (WLS) - The Chicago Cubs lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-1 in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, and the Dodgers advanced to the World Series. Enrique Hernandez put a Hollywood ending on an LA story three decades in the making. Fueled by Hernandez's home run trilogy, Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers are finally going to the World Series. Hernandez homered three times and drove in seven runs, Kershaw breezed through six crisp innings and Los Angeles ended the Chicago Cubs' title defense with an 11-1 victory in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series on Thursday night. "It feels good to hear World Series," Kershaw said. "It's been a long time coming for this team." After years of playoff heartache, there was just no stopping this group of Dodgers. With Kershaw firing away at the top of a deep pitching staff and Justin Turner anchoring a tough lineup, one of baseball's most storied franchises captured its first pennant since Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda managed Los Angeles to its last championship in 1988. The Dodgers will host the New York Yankees or Houston Astros in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night. The Yankees have a 3-2 lead in the ALCS heading into Game 6 at Houston on Friday night, so one more New York win would set up another chapter in an old October rivalry between the Yankees and Dodgers.

some scenes below
of the last game
  photos - NLCS Cubs/Twitter
The Ice Rink 
is now Re-opened 
for 2017
the old Ice Rink now in 'Wrigley at the Park'
currently called Gallagher Way Chicago
the video
2017 both photos - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
The 'Park at Wrigley' will transform into a winter wonderland and offer a series of winter programming starting Friday, November 24. The inaugural 'Winterland at the Park' will welcome neighbors, families and visitors to skate, shop, eat and celebrate this holiday season. As part of the winter-themed attractions, the Park will welcome the return of the popular Wrigleyville ice skating rink, debut a third location of the iconic 'Christ-kind-market' and host a variety of outdoor, family-friendly programming. Programming dates, times and other details can be found at Park atWrigley.com
Their programs for 2017-2018
per their newsletter
  via Southport Corridor News and Events
 via Southport Corridor News and Events
 via Southport Corridor News and Events
  via Southport Corridor News and Events
photo below - Gallagher Way Chicago/Facebook
Renovations 
Still Continue
in the post 2017 Season
 2018 photos - Wrigley Renovations-Facebook
 Still on 'To Do List' 
Structural Improvements
*Continued Terrace Reserved Seating Replacement
*American Airlines 1914 Club for 2018
*Maker's Mark Barrel Room for 2019
*The W Club for 2019
*Catalina Club for 2019
*Enhancements to the Suite Level
*Expanded concessions
along with the completion of the hotel
and the private development on Clark/Addison
December photos by Wrigley Aerial - Twitter  
 photo - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
  photo - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
  photo - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
 photo - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
 photo - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
December 2017 view - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
  photo - Wrigley Aerial/Twitter
with a view of the Wrigley Field hotel on the northwest corner of Clark and Addison Street called the Hotel Zachary
photos - Curbed Chicago
(video)
in March 2018
photo via Southport Corridor News & Events
Hotel Zachary, located at 3630 North Clark Street, will feature 153 standard guest rooms and 20 suites, according to its developers. The seven-story hotel will also include street-level retail space for local boutiques and restaurants. The hotel's interior design is inspired by its namesake, Wrigley Field architect Zachary Taylor Davis. Each guest room includes a framed replica of Davis' original blueprint of Wrigley Field, sketched in 1922. Even the TV stand was custom-designed to resemble one that Davis would have once used to store his blueprints. - ABC 7 News
photo - Chicago Magazine
below photo - Wayne Johnson
and a New Season Begins 
April 2018
snipped images - Curbed Chicago




photo above via Getty Images
below photo/new dugout - Wrigley Report
The 2018 Home Opener 
was a Snow Day
an ABC News video of that day
The Cubs are Soft
Name Change in 2018
The Park at Wrigley Field
will be known as
Gallagher Way
2018 photos - their Facebook page
The 2018 Lineup 
for the Renamed Space
images from their website 

WGN/Wrigley Field
a video celebration
of 70 years in 2018
Cubs Logos 
on Parade
located under the left bleachers as of 2018
 photos - Jeffrey Horwitz via Pictures of Chicago-Facebook

The Sidewalk 
on Waveland
photos - Garry Albrecht
two legends


in the Legal Coffin
for the Rooftopers
photo - Yelp
photo - Amanda A via Yelp
below photos - Betty R via Yelp
Get your Seats 
in October 2018
 images - Chicago Cubs-Facebook
and if you need a letter from the teacher ... 

Get your Parking Permits
for 2019
image via 44th Chicago Ward office
Politics:
... well sorta
*Tom Tunney won the 2019 election*
Residence
meets
Commercial
2018 WGN video
... and the home that stands across from the Zachery Hotel. This WGN video via Southport Corridor News & Events-Facebook is heartwarming story about change in Wrigleyville since 2014 to the present. I snipped a few Google Map images from 2009 to 2016 for more clarity for the story.
Google Evolution Views
a front row view 
2009
2013
2015
2016
2016 alley view with a window view
2017
2018
2018 alley view
A Last Look at the
Original Taco Bell/Wrigleyville
Nov. 2018 photo- Wrigley Aerials/Twitter
Spring Training 
in 2019
 Sloan Park in Mesa Arizona
One Week 
Before the Opener 2019
Construction continues days before the first game at Wrigley Field. This should be the end of it .. maybe?? 
I thought I pay the area a visit ...
March 2019 photos - Garry Albrecht 
 from the 2nd floor of the Hotel Zachary
 and a 2019 Visit to the Hotel Zachary
 
 My new friend 
 the hotel is located on the second floor
 the restaurant space
 My pre-dinner moment ...
in 2019
 Cubs Facebook video
A Promo for the Season Opener
(Cubs Facebook video)
sorta sexy
and another 
I like this one!
It's called Cold Blooded
This musical video gave this Cubs fan chills!!
and finally the Opener 2019
photos below - Chicago Cubs-Facebook


and the fans remain loyal
 photos - NBC Chicago
Some Tips 
for 2019 Games




Its Been 3 Years, 
and Time to a Pray
With only 10 days left of the 2019 season it 'touch and go' for the Cubbies and its again time to pray for a win!
Last Season
 for WGN 
Another End to an Era
photo - Chicago Cubs - Facebook
"Gary Pressy became the Wrigley Field organist in 1987 and hasn’t missed a single home game since. For 33 seasons, Gary provided the soundtrack of the Friendly Confines and has performed “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” alongside guests including Bill Murray, Eddie Vedder, Mike Ditka, Cookie Monster and so many more. After 2,687 consecutive games and nine playoff appearances, Gary decided to retire at the conclusion of the 2019 season. “I was debating it back and forth, but I really just wanted to spend more quality time with my family. I can’t say thank you enough.” 
- Chicago Cubs/Facebook
image - Gregg Sieward via Original Chicago/Facebook
read full article from above link
in 2020
March 26, 2020

 a WGN Report 
Season Delayed due to Covid-19
 May 11, 2020

Customized Covid Masks
it became a 'cottage industry' for many companies
photos - Ebay
Here are photos of fans 
and without fans

June 2020
in July
NBC Sports Chicago
June 2020
Sharing is Good!
video
The Neighborhood of Wrigleyville 
Continues 
to Change in 2020
 a new building on Patterson Avenue near the ballpark
and the building it replaced ...
A National Landmark
in 2020

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The home of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, has been designated a National Historic Landmark. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced the designation Thursday, saying the ballpark has played a significant role in the city of Chicago and the history of professional sports. National Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts, structures and objects that have been determined by the secretary of the interior to be nationally significant in American history and culture, federal officials said. "The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation's story and a key part of what has become America's beloved pastime for over a century," Bernhardt said.

would old man Wrigley be ok with this??
photo - Made in Chicago Museum

(Reuters) - Billionaire William “Beau” Wrigley Jr is taking cannabis producer Parallel public, in a merger due to complete this summer with Canadian-listed Ceres Acquisition Corp that values the Atlanta, Georgia-based firm at $1.88 billion. Parallel, the first firm Wrigley Jr has led since selling his family’s chewing gum business for $23 billion in 2008, will take on Ceres’ listing on the NEO exchange as expectations of an easing of U.S. rules on the pot sector draws investment. Shares of Ceres surged 19% to $12.50 as the deal comes at a time when officially-sanctioned sales of cannabis have surged to record levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.The combined company expects to have $430 million cash when the deal closes, a spokeswoman for Parallel confirmed to Reuters. With around 50 retail stores, cultivation and manufacturing sites in four U.S. states, Parallel will use the money to expand into new markets. It sells finished products including gummies, vapes and balms, but not chewing gum.

More Pandemic News:
The 20% Rule, for Now, 
Spring 2021
to season ticket holders only

Fans can return to Sox Park and Wrigley Field for baseball games this season. Mayor Lori Lightfoot made the announcement in a tweet Monday, saying fans could return to White Sox and Cubs games because coronavirus’s spread has slowed in Chicago. Those will be Chicago’s first major sports teams to be allowed to welcome back crowds since the pandemic started in spring 2020. 

The Cubs’ opening day is April 1 and the White Sox open at home April 8. Fans will have to wear masks at the games, and there will be “comprehensive screening and sanitization procedures,” according to a news release from the Mayor’s Office. Capacity will be limited to 20 percent at Guaranteed Rate Field, meaning just 8,122 fans will be allowed in at once. Parties of people will have to stay 6 feet apart, according to the Mayor’s Office. Wrigley Field will similarly have a 20 percent capacity limit, meaning it will be able to seat just 8,274 fans per game. Wrigley rooftops will be open, though they’ll operate under the same restrictions as bars and restaurants. Other changes are Ballpark entry and amenity zones will have limited-contact entry, There will be cashless concessions and shops,  Additional restrooms per guest, Reduced queueing times, and Reconfigured indoor spaces.

What Happens to Wrigley Field ...

Opening Day 2021

photo below from Jon Sciambi-Twitter
First Ever Female 
Play-to-Play
Beth Mowins will made her Cubs TV Debut 2021 
photo - D-Man Thomas
New Public Announcer
Jeremiah Paprocki
photo via D-Man Thomas
New Uniforms 
for 2021
from bleedcubbieblue.com - 2021
Something New 
on Addison/Sheffield
August 2021
Removal Statures
February 2022
deconstruction photo below - Wrigley Aerials
Construction Begins on This
June 2022
Google Map Snips
2009 vs 2021
After Two Official
Pandemic Years
no restrictions applies
2022 Aerial Photos
by Wrigley Areials/Twitter
Prepping for 
the Ice Ring
Winterland 2022/2023 in Gallaway Park 
will be also be in the field
An Issue 
with the Feds
Crime, nothing new
but getting worse
in 2022
Bye Bye
 to a 1889 Building
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1894
zoomed view below
1923
zoomed view below
2022 Google Map view
Google Earth view below
A Ice Rink is now
 Inside and Outside the Ballpark
The New Seasonal Layout 
inside and outside of the ballpark this year
Winterland operates from November 18, 2022, 
through Sunday, January 8, 2023
2022 photos - Wrigley Aerials/Twitter
photo below - Jon Gusanders
via Southport Corridor News and Events
Inside the Ballpark
2022 photos below from  Chicago Cub/Facebook
Outside the Ballpark
in Gallagher Way Park
Its Difficult to Imagine for Newcomers
that a coal storage area, a continuation of a railway 
and street was at this location at one time
1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
 with zoomed view below
zoomed further hightlighting the coal yard space that is now Gallagher Way
The Holiday Train Passes-By
for the 2022 Season
photography by Rich Wickersty 
via Pictures of Chicago/Facebook
is filling-up
(not owned by Ricketts)
Built in 1910
to be replaced in 2023
Go Cubs Gooooo
2023
The W Light Show
when they win 2023
image - Obvious Shirts
The Nation Athem
the high note was amazing 2023
Less Time 
in the Ballpark
More Time in Wrigleyville