Wrigley Field cleared to begin work on next phase of club level renovations

The historic ballpark received a building permit estimated at $20 million

By Jay Koziarz Oct 13, 2017, 10:59am CDT

While the Chicago Cubs are heading to the 2017 National League Championship Series following a nail-biting game five victory over the Washington Nationals, construction crews have already received the green light to begin the next phase of off-season improvements to Wrigley Field. Representing the fourth and final phase of the historic 1914 ballpark’s ongoing renovation, the work covers the addition of four luxury clubs.

Known as the American Airlines 1914 Club, the first new hospitality space will open behind home plate for the start of the 2018 season. The Cubs later hope to open the Maker's Mark Barrel Room behind the visitors' dugout, the W Club along the third-base line, and the upper level Catalina Club during the 2019 season. Combined, the clubs will accommodate approximately 900 season ticket holders and other VIPs.

According to the Chicago Tribune, construction on these spaces will also mean temporarily relocating both the home and visitor dug outs next year. A newly-issued, $20 million phase four construction permit lists HOK’s Joseph Spear as lead project architect and Pepper Construction as general contractor.

Phase four renovations of existing Wrigley Field ballpark: Renovation of concourse level column lines 34 to 40 and A-D as per plans, replacement of lower bowl from column lines 7 to 22 and 40 to 53 as per plans, renovation of suites from column lines 23 to 35 as per plans, buildout of clubhouse level, column lines 22 to 40 as per plans. Future phases will be permitted separately.

Despite getting the all-clear from the City, the work isn’t expected to begin until the Cubs’ post season run comes to an end. As was the case with last year’s off-season renovations, ownership would be more than happy to keep flying the W and delay work until November.