Chicago Public School project meets challenging schedule with a modular facade system.
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Proposed Wrigley Field Renovations
The owners of the beloved Chicago Cubs proposed renovations to one of the few “ball park” stadiums left in United States. The anchor of Chicago’s “Wrigleyville” neighborhood is on stage for a makeover.
The adjacent taverns that have a very unique business, and relatively recent Chicago Zoning Ordinance revision that allows them legal rights for, of having “mini-grandstands” on their roofs to watch the game over the current wall of Wrigley Field. The proposed scheme currently proposes a 6,000 square foot mega screen, blocking the views from adjacent roof-top seating.
Meanwhile, the trend continues for professional sports teams owners to maximize non-sports revenue by, increased advertising signage through seating fascias, leasing the “name” of the facility, and creating mini-malls integral with the facility.
Overlaid on the business issues layers and the neighborhood planning issues, we must mention the long standing “love-hate” relationship that many fans and anti-fans have with the Chicago Cubs. Even further deeper, beyond any connection to sports whatsoever, there is that invisible wall in Chicago that some Chicago residents stand firmly behind when they support their choice of the “north-side” or “south-side” baseball team.
Whether you are a sports fan, and business person, a neighbor, a planning professional, a Chicago “north-sider”, or just a spectator of this phenomenon, this “game” consists of many ingredients of the Chicago we love, and maybe hate.
What is your opinion?
Contributing to the Community
Jamieson Elementary School was hoping for a new playground, among other necessary facility improvements. Coyne + Associates Architects was hired to design the school facility upgrades as well as the exterior site improvements, including a new playground.
Chicago Public Schools planned to utilize a playground construction program known as Groundbreakers that is comprised of CPS high school students that are gaining experience in “hands-on” construction, as well as allow the district to provide more playground construction throughout the city of Chicago than otherwise possible through traditional construction means.
With very tight summer construction schedules, the Groundbreakers were challenged to meet the required schedule of the overall construction project. Additional site work, including playground surfacing, landscaping, new asphalt, fencing, parking striping, and other work would still need to be completed after the playground and still prior to the opening day of school.
Giving Back to the Community
To support the overall project as well as giving back to the community, Coyne + Associates Architects offered to contribute towards the playground construction effort. Patrick Coyne, the principal, along with other Coyne + Associates employees, including project manager Stephanie Lockemann, performed construction duties such as digging, shoveling, bolting, holding, and placing concrete. Jennifer Mejia, the construction manager, lead the team of volunteers and professionals to work together placing and erecting the life-size toy set. Even Cory Davis, the Director of Capital Renovation and New Construction for Chicago Public Schools, pitched in to assemble the playground.
Patrick Coyne also recruited his son, James and his friend Dakotah (also CPS students) to pitch in with the efforts, allowing them to get “hands-on” experience while giving back to the community.
Reward of Volunteering
The work was a bit of a challenge; sweating in the heat of the summer, solving the “puzzle” of the playground system “kit-of parts”, and just getting done whatever needed to be done, even if you’ve never done it before. Even though we enjoyed a decent lunch break, by the end of the day most of us were exhausted.
There was such a great rewarding feeling on the opening day of the playground to watch the students, and general children in the community, LOVING the playground! The loud screams of joy and laughter were such a great reward to all of us that pitched in to make that possible!
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