Wrigleyville Remixed the Neighborhood Around the Home of the Chicago Cubs Is Getting a Serious — and Sophisticated — Makeover See WRIGLEY, Page 36
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Wrigleyville remixed The neighborhood around the home of the Chicago Cubs is getting a serious — and sophisticated — makeover See WRIGLEY, Page 36 Magic moment: The Chicago Cubs buried decades of frustration in 2016 by winning the World Series over the Cleveland Indians. Above, the sign outside Wrigley Field before Game 5 on Oct. 30, the last World Series game played at Wrigley. The fnal two games of the Series were in Cleveland. JERRY LAI, USA TODAY SPORTS USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION 35 Matt Alderton | Special to USA TODAY Chicagoans aren’t generally the sort of people who believe in fairy tales. A mélange of political corruption, harsh weather, and sensational crime — from the Mob days of Al Capone to 21st-century gun violence “The baseball season is only — has left a cynical taste in their mouths. And yet, Chicago is a living, fve to six months a year. The breathing Cinderella story. ❚ Just look at the city’s beloved “Cubbies.” new additions coming into According to local lore, the Chicago the community are Cubs lost the World Series in 1945 when an aggrieved fan placed a curse on them. making Clark Street much For more than 70 years thereafter, the more vibrant and much more Cubs failed and foundered. Then, on Nov. 2, 2016, their fortunes fnally approachable for people changed with a jubilant World Series vic- other than baseball fans.” tory over the Cleveland Indians, whom they bested in a stunning 10-inning Richard Levy, area resident Game 7. It was the fairy-tale ending Chi- cago never trusted but always deserved. If the Cubs were visited by a fairy god- mother, her magic wand appears to have all the time. The neighborhood’s new ad- kissed not only the team, but also its ditions promise to fnally put that idea to stomping grounds. Part of Chicago’s rest, says lifelong Lakeview resident Lakeview neighborhood, the community Richard Levy, a retired lawyer who vol- known as Wrigleyville is in the midst of a unteers with Chicago Greeter, a free ser- signifcant transformation engineered The back entrance to Wrigley Field at vice through the Chicago Ofce of Tour- by the Cubs’ owners, the Ricketts family, Sheffield and Waveland avenues. With year-round events, The Park at Wrigley, renamed Gallagher Way, is the “new ism to match visitors with tour guides. whose vision will reimagine the area Nearby buildings have bleachers on town square of the North Side,” an executive for the developer says. DANIELLE DOLAN “The baseball season is only fve to six around Wrigley Field to the beneft of their roofs. ADAM ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY months a year,” Levy says. “The new ad- residents and visitors alike. ditions coming into the community are Group is soon opening Union Full Board dent and CFO. making Clark Street much more vibrant Elevated eats hot dogs, beer and baseball. (unionpizza.com), serving Detroit-style, Named for the sweet spot in a batter’s and much more approachable for people Joining Smoke Daddy at Hotel Za- square-cut pizzas, and Tinker to Evers, a strike zone, the much smaller Wheel- other than baseball fans.” If Chicago’s neighborhoods were peo- chary are Big Star (bigstarchicago.com), speakeasy. house Hotel, slated to open in late spring, In fact, a new mixed-use development ple, Wrigleyville would be a fraternity a two-story emporium dedicated to ta- “Wrigleyville is going to feel a lot more has 21 rooms with locally curated mini- kitty-corner from Hotel Zachary will pledge: He’s eager to please, loves sports, cos, tequila and honky-tonk; West Town diversifed,” Rutherford says. “There will bars, a retro candy shop, a private roof- teem with year-round baseball alterna- lives in fip-fops and ball caps, never Bakery and Tap (westtownbakery.com), still be bars where you can go and get top, and a more literal yet still sophisti- tives. Scheduled for completion this met a hot dog or nacho he didn’t like, and which sells scrumptious baked goods rowdy, but you’ll also be able to have a cated interpretation of the baseball summer, the L-shaped Addison & Clark is always the life of the party — until he alongside cocktails and boozy milk- nice meal with your family.” theme. Note, for instance, it will have a development (addisonandclark.com) tried one too many keg stands. shakes; Mordecai (mordecaichicago vintage scoreboard and an art installa- will include a Harley-Davidson show- But that’s about to change, because .com), a two-story cocktail lounge from Home run hotels tion made of 500 Louisville Slugger bats. room, a Lucky Strike Social bowling alley Wrigleyville is fnally growing up. chef/restaurateur Matthias Merges; and “It’s a modern take on an old-school and a CMX movie theater. “In the past, the focus in Wrigleyville Dutch & Doc’s, a casual American bras- What Wrigleyville needed even more neighborhood hotel,” says Robby Baum, Meanwhile, The Park at Wrigley, now was on how many drinks you could get serie opening this summer. than places to eat were places to sleep. co-owner of Bedderman Lodging, the renamed Gallagher Way (3637 N. Clark down before going to a game. But a shift Across the street are the Brickhouse Thanks to the aforementioned Hotel Za- hotel’s developer. St.; 773-388-8260; gallagherway.com), is is coming,” says Josh Rutherford, co- Tavern (3647 N. Clark St.; 773-377-4770; chary and Wheelhouse Hotel, it fnally is What both properties strive to ofer is an open-air plaza that Nordness calls owner of 4 Star Restaurant Group, which brickhousetavernchi.com), which boasts going to have them. something Chicago visitors haven’t real- “the new town square of the North Side,” opened a Wrigleyville outpost of Smoke four bars and two outdoor terraces, and Conceived by Hickory Street Capital, ly had before: an authentic alternative to with a year-round calendar of events, in- Daddy (thesmokedaddy.com), its popu- Merges’s Lucky Dorr Patio & Tap (1101 W. the Ricketts’ real estate company, Hotel downtown lodging. cluding movie nights, farmers markets, lar barbecue concept, this spring. Locat- Waveland Ave.; 773-388-8249; lucky- Zachary is named for Zachary Taylor Da- “Travel, as a macro trend, is people craft fairs, wine events and concerts. ed across from Wrigley Field at Hotel Za- dorr.com), a beer garden specializing in vis, the architect of Wrigley Field. It has looking for unique experiences where “Chicago’s such a dynamic city that’s chary (3630 N. Clark St.; 773-302-2300; craft brews and gourmet ballpark 173 residential-style rooms that whisper they can live like a local,” Nordness says. constantly reinventing itself,” says Mi- hotelzachary.com), the two-story res- snacks, not to mention a Jeni’s Splendid “baseball” instead of scream it. “Neighborhoods like Wrigleyville … are chelle Gonzalez, vice president of media taurant ofers live music, modern décor, Ice Creams premium ice cream shop and “From ivy-green headboards to leath- where people can do just that.” relations at Choose Chicago, the city’s mouth-watering ribs, and complimen- a Starbucks Reserve (3649 N. Clark St.; er chairs the color of a baseball glove, the convention and visitors bureau. “The tary daytime dining for kids 10 and un- 224-531-4490) upscale cofee bar. design evokes the history of Wrigley Beyond baseball changes in Wrigleyville give visitors der. It’s a harbinger of what’s to come: A A block south, at The Wheelhouse Ho- Field without relying on the weight of more ways and reasons to see, experi- family- and foodie-friendlier version of tel (3475 N. Clark St.; thewrigleyho- Wrigleyville still flls with baseball fans before and after games — including on this day during the 2016 playoffs — but new memorabilia,” explains Eric Nordness, One of the biggest misconceptions ence and be a part of Chicago’s local vibe Wrigleyville that serves a lot more than tel.com), Union Square Hospitality developments are making it clear that the Cubs aren’t the neighborhood’s only attraction. JERRY LAI, USA TODAY SPORTS Hickory Street Capital senior vice presi- about Wrigleyville is that it’s all baseball, and culture.” 36 USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION 37.