Demolition of NU’s Ryan Field will begin the week of Jan. 29, with fences, trailers and other equipment set to roll in next week, NU and project contractors announced at a 7th Ward meeting Thursday.
After a November vote to approve the project and allow concerts there despite opposition from residents, Northwestern has moved quickly to replace its nearly century-old football stadium. Demolition will take four months and further excavation could take even longer, officials said at the meeting hosted by Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th) and Dave Davis, NU’s senior executive director of neighborhood and community relations.
The Central Street Consortium, which includes contractors Turner Construction and Chicago-based Walsh Construction, will employ between 150 and 200 workers for the Ryan Field demolition, Turner Senior Superintendent Michael Musial said.
The come-and-go of trucks, people and debris elicited the most concerns by residents, who had the opportunity to ask questions later in the meeting.
“If there are any major concerns on site, the city is prepared to stop work,” said Andrew San Roman, Evanston’s building official and plan reviewer. “But we’re confident that the vibration monitoring that Northwestern will do will help in that regard.”
NU will conduct weekly analyses of vibration caused by demotion across the site, San Roman said, and the city will receive a monthly report from Northwestern. City permitting for the demolition will likely wrap up next week, he added.
The demolition will not use explosives or wrecking balls, Musial said, and will instead utilize a piece-by-piece excavator. Crews will “mist” the air and equipment at the site to keep dust down, he added.
Residents at the meeting expressed concern that Ryan Field’s asbestos and lead paint could degrade the neighborhood’s safety and environment during demolition, and they said officials had given unclear answers to their questions.
“It’s been identified by consultants as being addressed per the regulatory protocols that will be completed prior to any demolition,” Musial said.
Other officials clarified that asbestos removal has neared certified completion with demolition slated for the coming days.
Though concern about impacts from concerts at the completed stadium — set to debut in fall 2026 — has dominated residents’ activism against the rebuild, the day-to-day construction will take center stage as demolition begins.
Work hours run weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Musial said, and the fenced-off site will have designated locations for trucks to come and go. More details on asbestos removal, truck movements and other details will come, the officials said.
“We certainly know what issues you’d like more information about for our next meeting, and we’ll certainly work on making sure we have all that,” Revelle told residents.
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— Q&A: CABG President Sebastian Nalls talks Ryan Field, activism
— Most Livable City Association files complaint, asks Cook County to invalidate Ryan Field rezoning
— ‘A generational investment’: Mayor Biss explains his ‘yes’ vote on Ryan Field
