Even death can't stop Cubs fans from cheering on their favorite team.
The wall will feature a replica of Wrigley Field's centerfield wall, complete with the iconic ivy-covered red bricks -- and enough space to hold 280 urns.
Dennis Mascari, the entrepreneur behind the "Beyond the Vines" memorial, says he hopes to place a dozen refurbished Wrigley Field seats at the site for services or moments of quiet reflection.
"Going to visit loved ones at a cemetery is pretty sad and depressing," Mascari says, standing on the future site of "Beyond the Vines." "Here, you'll see your loved ones in a home away from home. They're back at the ballpark."
Billed as "skyboxes for the afterlife" and "an eternal season ticket," the 24-feet-high memorial -- about five miles northwest of Wrigley Field -- will be topped with a stained-glass replica of the scoreboard and cheering fans set against a blue sky.
Each niche -- or private box holding an ash-filled urn -- will be marked with a metal baseball card customized with the dearly departed's name, photo, date of birth and death and information like favorite Cubs player. A special Cubs urn is available, and some of the niches will accommodate more than one urn for family interment.
Prices range from the $1,200 "single" to the $5,200 "grand slam."
David Pimm, president of BNC National Cemetery -- final resting place for Mayor Anton Cermak and victims of the doomed S.S. Eastland -- says he was "very enthusiastic" when Mascari approached him about the memorial.
"I believe it's long in coming," says Pimm. "People are looking at final disposition in more-unique ways."
Cremation is on the rise, he says, in part because the options are more varied.
"You can do anything with cremated remains," Pimm says. "You can make them into a diamond, a coral reef in Florida, or ship them off to space."
You can also scatter them at the actual Wrigley Field, though a Cubs spokeswoman said they can't accommodate all of the "large number" of requests received.
One group that won't be memorialized in a similar way in the cemetery: White Sox fans. Mascari says he wants Cubs fans to be able to "rest in peace."
But he is looking at St. Louis as Fans Forever's next stop.
Pimm says he'd be open to a similar Bulls or Bears memorial, but that White Sox fans "should be on the South Side somewhere."
On the Net:
beyondthevines.net