July 2, 2019 Huen Electric Completes Historic Ballpark Renovation
Annual opening day deadlines on Wrigley Field upgrade project made for unique scheduling challenges
Before the first pitch could be thrown at Wrigley Field out each season for the past five years, Huen Electric crews have been working around the clock to upgrade the iconic ballpark in the off seasons.
Huen Electric was selected to provide electrical upgrades to the Wrigley Field stadium over the course of five years. Huen Electric performed electrical work on every system throughout the park, from broadcast video and audio, to network, WiFi, voice data, security access, power and lighting. This included removing the power feed for the old scoreboard, repiping and pulling wire in for the new one.
What was it like to take on a construction project at the legendary Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs?
“Amazing,” even for Chicago White Sox fan Jim Perrault, Huen Electric’s project manager for the multi-year upgrade project.
He said that, especially at the beginning of the project, everyone involved was excited see the ballpark, dugouts, press boxes, scoreboard and other parts of Wrigley Field that ordinary Cubs fans will never get the chance to experience.
Built in 1914, Wrigley is the second oldest major league ballpark in the nation, and that often resulted in relics and mementos being uncovered during demolition work.
Huen Electric crews would remove and rebuild all the electrical wiring over the course of the five-phase project. While some of the work could be performed during baseball season, the bulk had to be completed between the closing of each baseball season and opening day of the next. The project began in 2014 and was completed in 2019.
Managing this fast-track schedule each offseason required extensive pre-planning and preparation, and a large volume of labor. To successfully execute the work, the project team established a work schedule that consisted of two, long daily shifts, seven days a week. Roughly 100 people worked the first shift, while another 40-50 worked the second shift each day. Monitoring schedule adherence, consistent and effective communication, and building good working relationships were all critical to the project’s successful and on-time completion. Establishing a strong, integrated working relationship with the in-house electrician for Wrigley Field whose institutional knowledge was invaluable.
Now that the renovations are complete, Wrigley Field can host Cubs fans and baseball history for many more generations.
Project Details: Wrigley Field
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