CLEVELAND — Tuesday's continued warm weather before the rains rolled in had thoughts turning to baseball for many, construction workers at Progressive Field among them. While fans look at the banner counting down the days to the home opener, 34 on this day, the workers see it as a reminder of how much time they have to complete the first phase of ballpark renovations.
The Guardians not making the playoffs last October was a letdown for fans, but not for those tasked with the work at the ballpark. It meant the opportunity to get a jump start on the work with ideal weather as well to do it in.
"I have yet to meet a construction person to say that they are ahead of schedule, but they are really knocking it out," said Jim Folk, Guardians Vice President of Ballpark Improvements, as the work got underway last October.
When we last checked in on the progress three weeks ago, the so-called "Hickory Highway," the road of timbers installed on the field to protect it from the cranes that needed to travel over it, was still down, and the field itself had no grass, just dirt. Fast forward just 21 days, and the wooden road is gone, and the new turf field is already installed in time to begin soaking up the sunshine, while it lasted, and the rain that was soon to follow.
Work also continues on the Guardian's new temporary team shop that has been built on Gateway Plaza and on the re-imagined upper deck spaces that will be ready for the Home Opener April 8.
