(Ryan) Field Trip! Building Up Chicago visits Tearing Down Evanston

Not my video. Not my helicopter.

That’s a great video from YouTuber MikeLoweReporter over Ryan Field in Evanston. I had to settle for a pair of comfortable walking shoes to make my way around the former home of the Northwestern University Wildcats.

I think this is the first big stadium demolition I’ve watched live since they dynamited Three Rivers Stadium back in 2001. Sorry, I don’t have video of that because all our phones did back then was make phone calls. And you had to leave them at home.

You’ve probably heard by now, Northwestern is building a new Ryan Field on this site once demolition is complete. Because not everyone in Evanston is pleased with this development, there has been extensive media coverage of the proposal process over the past couple years. Do a quick Google search, and you’ll instantly head down the rabbit hole. Enjoy.

Alpine Demolition is on site with some pretty cool demo toys. The General Contractor for the stadium rebuild is a two-parter. Turner Construction and Walsh Construction have teamed up (football is, after all, a team sport) to form the “Central Street Consortium.” And that’s an official-enough name to have it emblazoned on the back of their branded construx gear.

And here are the pics (there’s a LOT of purple debris):

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago using the form below.

Make a one-time donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$1.00
$15.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Donate

Leave a Reply