Community leaders in McKinley Park are launching a fervent campaign to save the historically significant Damen Silos from demolition.
Situated at 2900 S. Damen Ave, the silos have lain abandoned since 1977 but have remained a lasting symbol of the area, gaining recognition after their feature in the movie ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ in 2014.
Over the years, the site has attracted urban explorers and served as a local landmark.
With the property’s new owner, MAT Limited, moving forward with plans to demolish the long-abandoned structures, neighbors and preservationists are mounting a decisive push to preserve the silos and repurpose the site as public festival grounds.
At a press conference held Thursday, local leaders presented their vision for transforming the 23-acre property into a vibrant festival area, drawing parallels to successful redevelopment projects in cities like Seattle, Buffalo, and Buenos Aires.
A consortium of preservation advocates and the McKinley Park Development Council outlined plans that propose a land trust to purchase the site, while a developer would manage its operations.
This revitalization approach is reminiscent of the proposals made by Blue Star Properties, the team behind the successful Salt Shed transformation, who envisioned redeveloping the silos into a major entertainment venue.
However, the state sold the property to MAT Limited for $6.5 million, and the new owner has not disclosed any intentions beyond demolition of the dilapidated silos.
Kate Eakin, a representative of the McKinley Park Development Council, emphasized the need for a buyer who prioritizes community interests over profits.
“We need to push MAT to sell to someone who cares about us and our neighborhood,” Eakin stated during the press event.
In an effort to garner support for their proposal, the council initiated a petition that has garnered over 670 signatures in favor of turning the site into festival grounds.
“We need someone who will act in the public interest, and we need the city to agree that equitable green space and public access matter,” Eakin urged.
She believes that the proposal is not an unrealistic dream, citing successful transformations in other cities as evidence that McKinley Park could achieve a similar outcome.
Local advocates have been fighting against impending demolition plans since MAT Limited submitted five permits to tear down the structures, including one to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Army Corps approved the demolition last year, projecting a target date for demolition of early 2025.
However, the permits have yet to receive the city’s approval, allowing the silos to remain standing for the time being.
The Chicago seven most endangered buildings list for 2023 highlighted the silos’ precarious status, adding urgency to the community’s preservation efforts.
Preservation Chicago Executive Director Ward Miller remarked that transforming the site into festival grounds and public green space would be a significant enhancement for the surrounding industrial area.
“This would be a festival ground and also a park space, a green space along the Chicago River,” Miller explained.
Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) expressed strong disapproval of the state’s decision to sell the silos to MAT Limited, asserting that governmental negligence has led to the current situation.
Sigcho-Lopez stated, “These demolition plans are because of Gov. Pritzker’s failure. He sold the land off to a private entity, and now we’re seeing what we’ve seen for a long time in these communities, which is a lack of care.”
He noted that the redistricting process in 2023 might have been influenced by his outspoken position against the state’s handling of the site.
“With this current state of affairs, pressing the city to acquire the land through eminent domain might be our best chance to save the silos,” he suggested.
Now under the jurisdiction of Alderman Julia Ramirez (12th Ward), she has also voiced steadfast opposition to demolition plans since taking office in 2023.
Ramirez is organizing a community meeting at 6 p.m. Friday at the Arturo Velasquez West Side Technical Institute, located at 2800 S. Western Ave.
The meeting aims to provide residents with more information about the festival grounds proposal and features leaders from Preservation Chicago and the McKinley Park Development Council.
Community members are encouraged to attend and participate in discussions surrounding the future of the Damen Silos and the potential reimagining of the site as a public gathering space.
image source from：blockclubchicago
