Before construction crews literally bring down the house, the return of a Yankees icon figures to serve the same purpose.
Bernie Williams told The Post last night he plans to be at Yankee Stadium as part of the pregame festivities on Sept. 21, when the Yanks and Orioles play what surely will be the final game in the current Stadium.
It will be Williams’ first appearance at the Stadium since the Yankees left him unsigned following the 2006 season.
As he prepared for a musical performance that benefited Robinson Cano’s Foundation Fundraiser at Frankie & Johnny’s Pine Restaurant in The Bronx, Williams said he expects an electric night at the Stadium.
“It will bring me back to my first time in 1991, when I played my first game,” Williams said. “It will be amazing. The fans are going to be great. I’m obviously very sad to the Stadium go – you have a lot of great memories – but you move on.”
Whether the former Yankee center fielder has completely moved on from wanting to play is anybody’s guess. Williams, who turns 40 tomorrow, stumbled to find an answer when asked if he’s 100 percent retired from baseball.
“I wouldn’t want to talk about that right now,” Williams said. “I’m doing my music right now. I’m having a great time with my time off. I’m still training, so you never know.”
The fact Williams was absent from Old Timers’ Day ceremonies this season might also provide a clue that he doesn’t consider himself retired.
“That could be one way of answering that question,” said Williams, who previously has said the Yankees are the only team for which he would play.
Williams said he has spoken to Joe Torre this season and is happy his former manager is close to leading the Dodgers into the playoffs. The Yankees, who last missed the postseason when Williams was still a pup in 1993, are another story.
“[October] will be kind of strange,” Williams said. “But that goes to show how hard it is to make it. It’s never a given, and this year it didn’t happen for them.”
More than anything, he looks forward to reuniting with former teammates next week at the Stadium. Other than spending time with Cano, Williams saw Bobby Abreu and Melky Cabrera at last night’s fundraiser.
“It’s going to be great to see Derek [Jeter] and A-Rod,” Williams said. “It almost gets me going to try to suit up again.”
mpuma@nypost.com