Greed continues to take a sledgehammer to Wrigleyville's neighborhood charm

The Wrigleyville I set foot in 20 or so years ago is now a long-distant memory. A complete overhaul of Wrigley Field after the Ricketts family purchased the team in 2008 also saw Wrigleyville transform from a quaint neighborhood to a year-round money-making venture.

The historic ballpark itself was in a complete state of disarray. No one can dispute that. For fans and players alike, updates and renovations were badly needed. The gameday experience since the 1060 Project was finished is dramatically improved, regardless of whether you love or hate the addition of video boards beyond both the left and right field bleachers.

In recent years, it had felt like things calmed down and leveled off a bit, especially after some emotional back-and-forth between Cubs ownership and the rooftop owners over said videoboards. Now, three of those rooftops - including the one that plays host to the 'Eamus Catuli' sign and the one that housed the Torco sign - are on the chopping block in a move sure to draw strong reactions from local residents and the fanbase.

New apartment complex to replace a trio of Wrigleyville rooftops

A property investor is tearing down the buildings and plans to replace them with a five-story, 29-unit apartment building, marking the first time the modernization of Wrigleyville has crept into the area of the rooftops. Of course, earlier this season, the team installed large signage on top of rooftops on both Sheffield and Addison, but the buildings themselves were untouched.

The trio of buildings had their view completely obstructed by the right field video board, all but killing their longtime rooftop business. The Ricketts family bought up rooftops at a torrid pace, taking over ownership of the rooftops in the process, but with no view, these properties' rooftops have largely been vacant for years.

The final design of the apartment building is not yet finalized, but one can only hope the surrounding buildings and architecture is taken into account. Otherwise, this could end up a major eyesore for anyone used to walking down Sheffield as they head into the bleachers or stop off for a drink at Murphy's.