Demolition resumed this week on 3627 North Sheffield Avenue, the last of the trio of buildings torn down for redevelopment just beyond Wrigley Field’s right-field bleachers. The former home of Skybox on Sheffield, it was one of two in the set, along with 3633 North Sheffield, that had rooftop seating overlooking the ballpark. It was permitted for demolition on August 1 of last year, a task assigned to Precision Excavation.
3627 North Sheffield in January, after the rooftop accoutrement had been removed. Demolition then took a hiatus. Photo by Daniel Schell
3627 North Sheffield Avenue pre-demolition, August 2025.
3627 North Sheffield Avenue. Photo by Daniel Schell
Left to right, 3633, 3631, and 3627 North Sheffield Avenue. Photo by Daniel Schell
The first two buildings, at 3633 and 3631 North Sheffield, were permitted for demolition first, and torn down rather quickly. At 3627, work was done early this winter to remove the rooftop seating and supportive structure, but then demo came to a halt, leading to the removal of equipment from the site. After waiting longer than a rain delay but shorter than our 108-year gap between World Series championships, Precision returned. Unlike the first two buildings, 3627 is being demolished from the front, instead of starting at the alley beneath the passing Red Line tracks. The CTA likely had a say in that.
Rendering of 3631 North Sheffield by DXU Architects
We still haven’t seen permission come through to begin construction on the replacement for the three buildings. A foundation permit addressed to 3631 North Sheffield has been pending in the Chicago Data Portal since January; no full permit appears there yet. The entity of Wrigley Baseball Club LLC (not the Cubs; they aren’t involved in the demos or the new construction) plans a five-story, 29-unit development that City Council signed off on in August 2024.
Demolition photos taken were taken May 14th:
Flyover
Little has been mentioned about when the new development would be completed and open for new residents, and as of now, there is still no construction timeline.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
These buildings on Sheffield and Waveland should be designated historic landmarks or something. They are as much a part of Wrigley’s history as the actual stadium. Go tear down a gray stone somewhere else.
Agree that is what made Wrigley Field so unique having a ball field in the middle of a neighborhood
The razed trio of buildings were gorgeous and historic. The soul of Chicago is being ripped out by its foundation. This never should have been allowed.
It’s Wrigleyville… its soul has been gone for quite some time.
Horrible horrible, shouldve been landmarks, had all the criteria. They probably didnt even salvage
It is disheartening to see this chunk of the architectural character of Wrigleyville being gutted for what resembles a suburban mausoleum–perhaps a befitting symbol of the slow death to come of what made this neighborhood unique. In retrospect, the “Demolition Of Former House Of The Good Shepherd Campus Underway As Cubs Seek Parking Lot Expansion” is no loss, but to increase existing surface parking. If we can’t move the Cubs to suburbia let’s bring suburbia to Wrigley Field.
All the commenters complaining about these tear downs have to understand that most historic preservation in the ‘hoods is usually a bottom up process with owners on point. Think Alta Vista Terrace and Wicker Park. Exceptions is when the architecture/preservation community gets involved in a specific structure that has historic ‘significance’ like Sulivan’s Carson building or Walt Disney’s home.
There are thousands of these limestone facade 2-3 flats spread all over Chicago. If the owners of these Wrigleyville buildings wanted them preserved they should have started the process a long time ago.