McKinley Park News - Tour Offers Peek Inside Central Manufacturing District Buildings

: Published February 27, 2018; By Justin Kerr; Neighborhood News

: Published February 27, 2018; By Justin Kerr; Neighborhood News

Three gargantuan city-owned properties in the Central Manufacturing District received scrutiny from architects and planners this past Friday, February 23, during a tour designed to market their sale and redevelopment.

As a lead-in to C40's Reinventing Cities design competition, the tour meandered through the lots and buildings stretching from 1717 to 1819 West Pershing Road, led by representatives from the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development.

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The review began at 1717 W. Pershing Road, the site of a large municipal parking lot and single-story shed housing street sweepers, snow plows and other city vehicles. According to design contest guidelines, this building would be a candidate for demolition, in contrast to the two adjacent World War I-era brick and concrete warehouses, both of which are architecturally significant and nearly impossible to demolish due to their size and structure.

As previously reported, the Reinventing Cities design contest requires design submissions by May 4, 2018, and also includes a potential site in East Garfield Park as part of the city's site offerings.

The Chicago skyline peeks over the corner of one of the Central Manufacturing District warehouse buildings up for redevelopment.
Massive concrete columns span all levels of the two warehouse buildings.
Robert McKenna and Cynthia Roubik from the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development take a breather from their role as tour guides for the site.
Low corridors connect the two warehouse buildings below street level.
Although many areas in the warehouses are clear, some contain significant clutter.
The two Central Manufacturing District warehouse buildings lie adjacent to Pershing Road.
Multiple levels of corridors connect the two warehouse buildings above ground level.
Snow plows and street sweepers hibernate inside the large shed building at 1717 W. Pershing Road.
A safe door is one of the few relics remaining from the warehouses' past role as an army depot.
Wood Street continues south from Pershing Road between the two warehouse buildings.
Parts of the warehouse basements and other areas hold standing water.
The tour concludes in the rear parking lots to the south of the warehouses, also part of the site marketed for the design competition.

The Chicago skyline peeks over the corner of one of the Central Manufacturing District warehouse buildings up for redevelopment.

Massive concrete columns span all levels of the two warehouse buildings.

Robert McKenna and Cynthia Roubik from the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development take a breather from their role as tour guides for the site.

Low corridors connect the two warehouse buildings below street level.

Although many areas in the warehouses are clear, some contain significant clutter.

The two Central Manufacturing District warehouse buildings lie adjacent to Pershing Road.

Multiple levels of corridors connect the two warehouse buildings above ground level.

Snow plows and street sweepers hibernate inside the large shed building at 1717 W. Pershing Road.

A safe door is one of the few relics remaining from the warehouses' past role as an army depot.

Wood Street continues south from Pershing Road between the two warehouse buildings.

Parts of the warehouse basements and other areas hold standing water.

The tour concludes in the rear parking lots to the south of the warehouses, also part of the site marketed for the design competition.