Why is The Cell pointed South-East?

[BigSqwert]

Oh, dont get me wrong. There are some SPECTACULAR fields around the country. I absolutely LOVE Coors Field, been there...Love it.

 

But, in the end, you're there to watch a game, not marvel at the park. Beautiful and spectacular parks only draw for short period of time if the team is bad.

But we as taxpayers deserved better.

[Balta1701]

Maybe they can get the Extreme Home Makeover team to spice it up a bit.

I think they've already done that.

 

It does impress me to think that the Cell is 20 years old. It certainly doesn't seem that old when you go there.

[HuskyCaucasian]

But we as taxpayers deserved better.

For $160 million it's a pretty nice park. Maybe they should have had a little more "vision" like Cleveland and Baltimore. They just built it 2-4 years too soon.

Edited August 30, 2010 by Athomeboy_2000

[Harry Chappas]

For $160 million it's a pretty nice park. Maybe they should have had a little more "vision" like Cleveland and Baltimore. They just built it 2-4 years too soon.

 

Isn't Baltimore older than the cell?

[Balta1701]

Isn't Baltimore older than the cell?

Opened in April 1992.

 

New Comiskey was 91.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Isn't Baltimore older than the cell?

Both broke ground in 1989, but the Cell opened in 1991, and Camden in 1992. However, i think The Cell was designed in 1986 while Camden was probably a year or 2 later.

[NorthSideSox72]

So if you read the details, you will find that the real reason this happened was basically a big f***-up. Here is how it worked...

 

--Sox threaten to move to Florida

--After much tribulation, they say if they get state money, they may move to Addison

--State legislature works out a last minute deal to give money to the ISA to build the park

--Part of the negotiation was making sure the park stayed in the current location, more or less - to assure this, the bill said it had to be at 35th and Shields

--In order to avoid going back to the IL House and risk not only delays but the possibility of not even getting the money, the Sox (Jerry) decide they have to follow the letter of the law, and make sure its address is actually at 35th and Shields

 

All this could have been avoided if the bill had simply said something like "stadium must stand within 3300-3800 and Dan Ryan-RR tracks".

 

[lostfan]

You obviously don't travel much to see other stadiums.

It's much much much better than it was in the 90s when I used to go as a teenager. That place sucked and they totally blew it. The renovations did right by the park though imo.

[thedoctor]

i don't love the cell and it pales in comparison to the retro parks that followed it, but i think it gets somewhat of a bad rap sometimes. it has improved since opening and it has always been a good place to watch the game.

 

really do wish they had accommodated mccuddy's though.

[HuskyCaucasian]

So if you read the details, you will find that the real reason this happened was basically a big f***-up. Here is how it worked...

 

--Sox threaten to move to Florida

--After much tribulation, they say if they get state money, they may move to Addison

--State legislature works out a last minute deal to give money to the ISA to build the park

--Part of the negotiation was making sure the park stayed in the current location, more or less - to assure this, the bill said it had to be at 35th and Shields

--In order to avoid going back to the IL House and risk not only delays but the possibility of not even getting the money, the Sox (Jerry) decide they have to follow the letter of the law, and make sure its address is actually at 35th and Shields

 

All this could have been avoided if the bill had simply said something like "stadium must stand within 3300-3800 and Dan Ryan-RR tracks".

ahhh ok. Well, that makes a lot of sense. So, maybe management WANTED it to be pointed north, but to be safe they pointed it south east. interesting.

[shipps]

So if you read the details, you will find that the real reason this happened was basically a big f***-up. Here is how it worked...

 

--Sox threaten to move to Florida

--After much tribulation, they say if they get state money, they may move to Addison

--State legislature works out a last minute deal to give money to the ISA to build the park

--Part of the negotiation was making sure the park stayed in the current location, more or less - to assure this, the bill said it had to be at 35th and Shields

--In order to avoid going back to the IL House and risk not only delays but the possibility of not even getting the money, the Sox (Jerry) decide they have to follow the letter of the law, and make sure its address is actually at 35th and Shields

 

All this could have been avoided if the bill had simply said something like "stadium must stand within 3300-3800 and Dan Ryan-RR tracks".

 

Wow.

 

I did not think there would be a more interesting baseball topic than Manny on a day like this but homeboy found it.

[lostfan]

I have read that it was done in order to not have all of the fans exiting the park and walking right into the projects, which is what was there for the most part in the late 80's early 90s when the park was being planned. Part of the decision certainly may have been a "nostalgia" issue, but I think fan safety was the other consideration.

Maybe true but the projects were on the other side of the expressway. If you're going to the L then you're still going in the direction of the projects. You save a couple hundred feet I guess.

[NorthSideSox72]

Maybe true but the projects were on the other side of the expressway. If you're going to the L then you're still going in the direction of the projects. You save a couple hundred feet I guess.

He may be referring to the senior home that is currently just outside of right field of the stadium. Some people think of them as "projects".

 

Or, if you go about 4 more blocks south along Wentworth, you do in fact hit some row-homes that are indeed "projects".

 

[lostfan]

He may be referring to the senior home that is currently just outside of right field of the stadium. Some people think of them as "projects".

 

Or, if you go about 4 more blocks south along Wentworth, you do in fact hit some row-homes that are indeed "projects".

I suppose, but when I think "projects" I think Robert Taylor, Stateway Gardens, Ida B. Wells, etc. all those high rise buildings in Bronzeville that are all gone now. Those were all close to the stadium but still on the other side of the 35th overpass and more or less separated for all practical purposes. Bronzeville is barely even recognizable from what it used to be back then.

[BigSqwert]

It's much much much better than it was in the 90s when I used to go as a teenager. That place sucked and they totally blew it. The renovations did right by the park though imo.

I agree the renovations are fantastic. It just sucks that you have to walk for about 45 minutes down the ramps from the upper deck after the game. It annoys the s*** out of me every time.

[southsider2k5]

So if you read the details, you will find that the real reason this happened was basically a big f***-up. Here is how it worked...

 

--Sox threaten to move to Florida

--After much tribulation, they say if they get state money, they may move to Addison

--State legislature works out a last minute deal to give money to the ISA to build the park

--Part of the negotiation was making sure the park stayed in the current location, more or less - to assure this, the bill said it had to be at 35th and Shields

--In order to avoid going back to the IL House and risk not only delays but the possibility of not even getting the money, the Sox (Jerry) decide they have to follow the letter of the law, and make sure its address is actually at 35th and Shields

 

All this could have been avoided if the bill had simply said something like "stadium must stand within 3300-3800 and Dan Ryan-RR tracks".

 

This is one of those things that makes me feel old. I was a teen when all of this was going on, but a lot of people on here weren't even born yet. Ugh.

[NorthSideSox72]

I agree the renovations are fantastic. It just sucks that you have to walk for about 45 minutes down the ramps from the upper deck after the game. It annoys the s*** out of me every time.

I noticed this season that they started running the escalators going down after games - they didn't do that in previous seasons. That helps a bit.

 

[lostfan]

This is one of those things that makes me feel old. I was a teen when all of this was going on, but a lot of people on here weren't even born yet. Ugh.

I remember it but I used to watch as many Cubs games as Sox games back then. IIRC I was much more into the Bears and the ascending Bulls dynasty.

Edited August 30, 2010 by lostfan

[NorthSideSox72]

This is one of those things that makes me feel old. I was a teen when all of this was going on, but a lot of people on here weren't even born yet. Ugh.

I remember sending a bunch of white socks in the mail to the Trib, when one of the sports writers (can't remember who know - Holtzman maybe?) was trying to organize a giant crate of white socks to send to Tampa instead of the team.

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

This is one of those things that makes me feel old. I was a teen when all of this was going on, but a lot of people on here weren't even born yet. Ugh.

I was 7 when The Cell opened. I have NO memory of any of this. Heck, I was technically a "Cubs fan" until 1990.

[Soxman72]

FWIW.....I was in Baltimore a few years back and did the stadium tour. I was told that the design group that created their ballpark first pitched the design to the White Sox ownership, but that it was turned down. The Sox claimed that they wanted a "new design" and did not want to have an old time feel to their new park. New Comiskey was approved to be built right before the boom of "old time" new parks like Baltimore. Baltimore did make changes to the original design (warehouse & the stadium is built into the ground. You enter the park on the main concourse). Sox ownership wanted a brand new concept for their park without obstructed views. Today there are obstructed views due to the batters eye and upper deck supports.

 

I think it is a great place to watch the game and I enjoy going to the park. I know there are better parks out there, but it could be worse. We could be in Tampa.

 

 

[JPN366]

I was 7 when The Cell opened. I have NO memory of any of this. Heck, I was technically a "Cubs fan" until 1990.

 

Ah, the glory days of Shawon Dunston. I miss them.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Ah, the glory days of Shawon Dunston. I miss them.

To this day, I have no idea how I became a Sox fan. All I remember is getting a 1989 Chicago Cubs team photo plaque for Christmas, but by 1991 I was a Sox fan.

[Balta1701]

To this day, I have no idea how I became a Sox fan. All I remember is getting a 1989 Chicago Cubs team photo plaque for Christmas, but by 1991 I was a Sox fan.

If you're like me, it might have had something to do with that pretty good hitter the Sox called up right around then to play 1b. He was kinda tall, IIRC.

[HuskyCaucasian]

FWIW.....I was in Baltimore a few years back and did the stadium tour. I was told that the design group that created their ballpark first pitched the design to the White Sox ownership, but that it was turned down. The Sox claimed that they wanted a "new design" and did not want to have an old time feel to their new park. New Comiskey was approved to be built right before the boom of "old time" new parks like Baltimore. Baltimore did make changes to the original design (warehouse & the stadium is built into the ground. You enter the park on the main concourse). Sox ownership wanted a brand new concept for their park without obstructed views. Today there are obstructed views due to the batters eye and upper deck supports.

 

I think it is a great place to watch the game and I enjoy going to the park. I know there are better parks out there, but it could be worse. We could be in Tampa.

umm... well, that's interesting. Sucks to be us I guess.