The Chicago Cubs are in the process of working on extensive Renovations to Wrigley Field this offseason. The 1060 Project as it is known has been in progress since the end of the 2014 season, and will hopefully be done by 2020. Since work cannot be done during an entire season, the project inside the park has been worked on in phases over the offseasons only. By the time it is all over, it will be a $1 billion operation with the renovations to the park itself, as well as the building of the Hotel Zachary and new shopping centers around the park.

This offseason has seen some of the bigger changes take place inside the park and across the street. The Hotel Zachary, which has been under construction for a while now, will be completed and ready for the season, while the inside of the park has seen most of the lower bowl get demolished and rebuilt. According to president of business operations Crane Kenney, everything will be ready for the home opener on April 9.

Rebuilding the lower bowl

The last two seasons will have seen roughly 80% of the lower section of the grandstand torn down and rebuilt. This includes the dugouts, much of the concourse area and tunnels from the clubhouses. Not only will the rebuilding of this area bring in more modern seating, it will allow new concourse amenities to be built, including the new clubs and restaurants that will be underneath the grandstand.

Much of the concrete was very old and crumbling and the dugouts were small and outdated.

Last offseason the home plate section of lower bowl seating was demolished and rebuilt, also making room for one of the first restaurants under that area called the American Airlines 1914 Club. That should also be ready for the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, this winter, the left field and right field sections of the lower bowl were completely demolished.

Other restaurants will be built underneath as well as new dugouts on the field. These dugouts will be wider and further away from home plate. The entire lower section of the grandstand has been completely rebuilt in the past two years.

Wrigley Aerials on Twitter has provided great pictures of the work in progress:

Upcoming season

The home opener is just a few weeks away and there is still a lot of work being done. Kenney told "670 the Score's" Bruce Levine that there is nothing to worry about when it comes to the park being done in time: "This has been our most expensive phase from both a structural and cost perspective." Kenney said. "I am here to tell everybody we are on pace with this work, and, in fact, a couple days ahead of schedule for our plan for Opening Day."

The weather in Chicago has been inconsistent this year to say the least.

However, there have been some stretches without major snowstorms or overly frigid weather that would cause the work on the field to be halted for a period of time. They were also able to work on these renovations while they hosted their first annual "Winter Wonder Fest" in the new park area on the Clark Street side.

Wrigley may be a construction zone now, but in 24 days it will be time to play ball again.
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