Demolition Looms Over Historic Chicago Warehouses

The fate of several century-old warehouses on Chicago’s Southwest Side hangs in the balance as the Chicago Plan Commission prepares to vote on a demolition request.

Atlanta-based IDI Logistics wants to replace the warehouses, between Little Village and North Lawndale neighborhoods along West Ogden Avenue, with a 246,000-square-foot distribution facility, the Chicago Tribune reported.

IDI Logistics’ proposed $44 million redevelopment has irked Chicago preservationists, who’ve deemed the structures historically significant.

“It’s really unfortunate that it’s gotten this far,” Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, told the outlet. “If we allow the city to become a bunch of big box warehouses, what kind of city is that?”

IDI, which purchased the 15.5-acre site for over $16 million in 2022, argues that the project will create hundreds of temporary construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs upon completion of the facility.

Among the structures slated for demolition are the Western Felt Works, a 1916 Prairie School-style building and a pair of 1918 buildings designed by renowned architect Alfred Alschuler. Preservation Chicago identified these properties as some of the city’s most endangered historic structures earlier this year.

The proposed development entails demolishing the existing structures to make way for a single-story warehouse spanning the entire block, equipped with 26 loading docks and 271 parking spaces. Renderings depict aesthetic enhancements, including trees, ornamental fencing and colorful designs on the building’s exterior.

Some residents and neighborhood groups are torn between the prospect of job creation and concerns about environmental impact, while also acknowledging the importance of preserving historical architecture. The Little Village Community Council, for instance, is seeking more information before taking a stance on the project.

Preservationists are pushing for alternative solutions, such as relocating the development or integrating the existing facades into the construction.

—Quinn Donoghue