City officials and contractors have outlined a plan to demolish the Damen grain silos in McKinley Park, pending the approval of a demolition permit.
The plans were presented during a community meeting on Friday evening at the Arturo Velasquez Westside Technical Institute, attended by numerous residents eager to learn how the demolition would be conducted safely and without harming the environment.
Officials from the Department of Buildings, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and the demolition contractor, Heneghan Wrecking, detailed the proposed process for dismantling the silos located near the intersection of 29th Street and Damen Avenue.
Devin Gora, a 29-year-old preservationist and Pilsen resident, voiced concerns over the lack of community engagement from the silos’ owner, Michael Tadin Jr.
Gora expressed disappointment that Tadin has not considered suggestions for repurposing the historic structures, suggesting that the owner might let the land sit vacant for years, ultimately seeking to profit from increased property value.
“The owner has been kind of nebulous about what he’s going to do with it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he just left it vacant for like 30 years and waited for it to quadruple in value and just sell it off again,” Gora stated.
Tadin purchased the over 20 acres of land along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal for $6.5 million in December 2022 but has not shared his intentions for the site.
Although he has applied for a demolition permit, as of Friday, it has not yet been issued.
The demolition plan has taken into account past mistakes, particularly the problematic implosion of a former coal plant smokestack in Little Village that enveloped the area in dust in 2020.
This time, officials have opted for a gradual dismantling of the Damen Silos using heavy machinery rather than explosives.
The project is set to involve the demolition of five buildings, focusing primarily on two sets of 80-foot concrete silos and a tower that stands about 110 feet tall.
Daily supervision by city inspectors is part of the plan to ensure safety and adherence to regulations throughout the course of the demolition.
Department of Buildings Commissioner Marlene Hopkins explained that heavy machinery, including excavators and cranes equipped with high-reach excavators, would be utilized.
Additionally, barges would be strategically placed along the north and east sides of the structures to act as a catch deck, preventing debris from contaminating the waterways nearby.
Buildings three, four, and five will be taken down using excavators armed with grapples and buckets for better control over the process.
Health Commissioner Olusimbo Ige characterized the demolition as environmentally complex, warranting heightened precautions to mitigate potential hazards.
Ige emphasized that dust control and proximity to the river are critical concerns that will be addressed during the demolition.
Before Tadin could apply for the demolition permit, he needed to pass a lead inspection and ensure the removal of all hazardous materials, including asbestos.
These preliminary steps have now been completed, allowing for the progress of the project.
To further guard against dust pollution, four portable air monitoring devices will be deployed on-site, conducting real-time air quality assessments every 15 minutes.
Health officials will monitor air samples closely to confirm that contaminants remain within permissible limits throughout the demolition.
While the demolition is projected to take approximately six months, the start date remains uncertain as the permit is still under consideration.
image source from：nbcchicago
