For the Chicago Cubs, next year is here, at least in the literal sense. They play the Cincinnati Reds on Monday for their home opener, the first game at Wrigley Field in a promising 2016 season.
The game also marks the progression of the 1060 Project. Wrigley is in the process of modernization, and the latest update is that the Cubs’ new clubhouse is ready and the legendary marquee sign has been installed out front.
Wrigley’s old clubhouse, one of the worst in the majors, was 11,000 sf, a size that was acceptable generations ago but woefully small compared to the high tech, posh living rooms around the league. According to the Chicago Tribune, the new clubhouse is 30,000 sf. The space accommodates a larger locker room, a strength and conditioning center, training rooms, offices, and a lounge. The circular locker room has wood-paneled stalls centered around a central meeting area.
Home sweet(er) home! #LetsGohttps://t.co/A4qZxRGcZN
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 11, 2016
To find the space, the clubhouse was moved from the area underneath the seats behind the dugout to under an old parking lot on the west side of the ballpark. The old locker room will be turned into a batting cage. An open-air plaza will be built above the clubhouse.
Additionally, the signature red Wrigley Field marquee has been re-installed outside of the main entrance. EarthCam produced a time-lapsed video of crews putting it back together.
The Cubs are nowhere near done with the Wrigley overhaul. New clubs, decks, and outdoor concourses are being constructed, and a new umpire dressing room, visitors’ clubhouse, and press box are all in the works.
An outside development, including a six-story office building, 172-room hotel, open air plaza, and a bunch of commercial development spaces (restaurants, retail shops, an ice rink) will be built over the next few years.
The renovations started last year, when the Cubs revamped their outfield bleachers and erected two massive video boards.
Related Stories
| Oct 28, 2013
Urban growth doesn’t have to destroy nature—it can work with it
Our collective desire to live in cities has never been stronger. According to the World Health Organization, 60% of the world’s population will live in a city by 2030. As urban populations swell, what people demand from their cities is evolving.
| Oct 18, 2013
Researchers discover tension-fusing properties of metal
When a group of MIT researchers recently discovered that stress can cause metal alloy to fuse rather than break apart, they assumed it must be a mistake. It wasn't. The surprising finding could lead to self-healing materials that repair early damage before it has a chance to spread.
| Oct 8, 2013
Toronto Maple Leafs arena converted to university recreation facility
Using steel reinforcement and massive box trusses, a Building Team methodically inserts four new floors in the landmark arena while preserving and restoring its historic exterior.
| Oct 1, 2013
13 structural steel buildings that dazzle
The Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C., are among projects named 2013 IDEAS2 winners by the American Institute of Steel Construction.
| Sep 26, 2013
6 ways to maximize home-field advantage in sports venue design
Home-field advantage can play a significant role in game outcomes. Here are ways AEC firms can help create the conditions that draw big crowds, energize the home team to perform better, and disrupt visiting players.
| Sep 24, 2013
8 grand green roofs (and walls)
A dramatic interior green wall at Drexel University and a massive, 4.4-acre vegetated roof at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center in Kansas City are among the projects honored in the 2013 Green Roof and Wall Awards of Excellence.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 19, 2013
6 emerging energy-management glazing technologies
Phase-change materials, electrochromic glass, and building-integrated PVs are among the breakthrough glazing technologies that are taking energy performance to a new level.
| Sep 19, 2013
Roof renovation tips: Making the choice between overlayment and tear-off
When embarking upon a roofing renovation project, one of the first decisions for the Building Team is whether to tear off and replace the existing roof or to overlay the new roof right on top of the old one. Roofing experts offer guidance on making this assessment.
| Sep 17, 2013
Healthcare project will merge outpatient clinic with YMCA to promote wellness and prevention
Penrose-St. Francis Health Services and the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region announce collaboration, along with developer The Boldt Company, to create next-generation wellness facility.
