North Side Baseball - Home Page

watching css on the prowl at the cubby bear will undoubtedly be the highlight of the meetup

Unless your sister shows up

_________________

Really no reason to draw this out over several seasons when you could get it done in one.

_________________

Wrigleyville is packed nearly every weekend regardless of whether or not it's baseball season.

_________________

It's insane to me that the Cubby Bear used to be like an indie rock/alternative/whatever music mecca before Lounge Ax opened up and basically stole that away. I can't picture the Cubby Bear as anything except Douchebag Central.

_________________

I tend to think that the blame lies with the tribune more than anybody. Alot of improvements that could have been done in a month or two in the offseason were neglected for years resulting in the mess we have now. Also asking the city for funds in the middle of the recession, which makes sense from a business perspective, is just asking for too much in this climate when teachers and police officers are being laid off. Even if the city did hand them the money the original plan called for the cubs to play else where. they'll get it figured out even if Ricketts has to foot the bill initially with assurances and tax breaks to pay him back

Also you have to realize that in a single offseason from oct- march there may only be a month at best two months where construction workers can actually work because of the weather. Concrete for instance just wont cure right when its very cold out.

just let them play 162 road games. . . . .that would be fun

And 162 home games the following year

_________________

that's definitely not true

They are doing construction in the bleachers as we speak. I'm pretty sure its preparing to install the LCD screen in right.

_________________

really it is. there are special mixes you can use with concrete that allow it to cure in really cold tempuratures but it usually begins to crack after a few years. I.e it just wont cure right. Also when it snows no one is pouring concrete anywhere. In a normal winter construction work halts in november and doesnt begin again until march. Its too cold to work outside and when the workers can sit at home and collect unemployment for those frigid months you will have to actually overpay them to work. Sure there are some things you can do interior work etc. but for the most part work slows to a nonexistent pace.

Next time, bring your sister, you hump!

_________________

Road construction comes to a halt, but building construction? I don't think so. Certainly it takes a slowdown, but they can and do continue projects through the winter.

Along those lines, any plan for offseason construction is going to be done piecemeal, over the course of multiple seasons like MSG is doing. Essentially a series of small projects.

I'm not a pro when it comes to concrete, but I have heard from a friend who is that it can be done in winter -- it needs to be heated first, and it's more difficult to make it work right. Costs are higher.

I know my company is busy building as I write. A large building, and they are heating/pouring concrete for it. It's a mild winter, to be sure.

_________________
If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, set it on fire.

I really can't see the ducks all getting in a row for this happen by 2013.

It's possible that they are already nearing being in a row, and that's why the rumors started.

We really have no idea what has been going on between the city and the team this whole time.

But yea, I'd agree that it seems unlikely.

it's not that it needs to be heated, curing concrete creates heat on its own. The issue is that while concrete cures, it needs to be kept wet. The water used to keep it wet needs to be kept from freezing. That's why you temper a space that is receiving a pour. Admixtures help too. but yea, they pour in pretty cold temps in MPLS, they can do it in Chicago too.

I have worked a lot of construction in my life and from personal experience you can pour concrete in some really crappy weather conditions, including very cold. It probably needs to be covered to trap in the heat while curing also.

_________________
“There are 2,000 verses of Scripture that call upon us to respond to the needs of the poor. And yet, I find that when Christians talked about values in this last election that was not on the agenda, that was not a concern. ”-Tony Campolo

How big of an issue is Wrigley being a "historical landmark" going to affect things when it comes to renovating the place? That could be one of many stupid things that get in the way of making the process drag out.

well, yea, that's what I'm saying.

There's three things in the way, the BS landmark status which is basically just a way for bureaucracy to skim money off the top, the local residents/business interests that protest everything, and the government's willingness to be creative with tax revenue offsets/breaks.

ohhh, just you wait. I don't remember which designation Wrigley has with the NTHP, but it would certainly be something they need to consider in the design process. And forget tearing it down, that will likely never happen with its designation.

I don't think you know what you're talking about

No I don't know the specific machinations involved but it's basically a committee they have to "convince" to let them do stuff every time they want to upgrade.

Umm, have you tried to build ANYTHING in the last 15 years? There are always committees.

Besides, Wrigley is only restricted on a few of its historical pieces, such as the ivy, scoreboard and I believe the exterior marque. There is plenty that can be done to it without upsetting "the committee". If you want an extreme example, look at what was done with Soldier Field which had a very simular designation