Damen Silos Meeting Solicits Feedback on Buildings Demolition

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosted a meeting on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at the McKinley Park field house soliciting feedback about the demolition of the Damen Silos, a long-derelict industrial site along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at 2860 S. Damen Ave., Chicago.

"We determined [demolition] will have an adverse historical effect," said Regulatory Project Manager Colin Smalley, who is leading a National Historic Preservation Act review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers because the canal, a federally regulated waterway, overlaps the property on sloping concrete piers once used to load barges.

Ward Miller of Preservation Chicago advocates against demolition of the Damen Silos at the meeting in McKinley Park on Feb. 1, 2024.Property owner MAT Limited Partnership LLC, an enterprise run by Michael Tadin Jr., who also co-owns MAT Asphalt in the Central Manufacturing District, has proposed demolition of all structures — a popular target for graffiti artists — to remove an "attractive nuisance," Smalley said.

Merit Historic Consideration

Although the corps determined that the proposed demolition did not affect the canal itself or nearby Damen and Ashland avenue bridges, the status of the property's structures merited historic consideration with community feedback, Smalley said.

"That's the reason we're here tonight," he said.

Scores of attendees filled the auditorium of the McKinley Park field house, many speaking in favor of preservation and public use of the property.

Grain and Railroads

The site is architecturally important, said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, which placed the Damen Silos on its 2023 list of most endangered Chicago buildings.

"Chicago was built on ideas of grain and railroads," Miller said. "It's important that we not dampen that history."

Natalie Hicks, vice president at the American Institute of Architects Chicago, said the group "supports preservation and reuse of the Damen property."

Early Intermodal Facility

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers map shows the Damen Silos centered within its study area.A spokesperson for MAT Limited Partnership said that the enterprise is committed to seeing the historic review process through to completion, that it will continue to communicate with the community and stakeholders, and that no plans have been made for the type of use for the site.

Smalley pointed to the history of the site as "one of the first examples of an intermodal facility" that combined rail and barge commercial traffic. He also noted its early and significant use of concrete.

Send In Comments

"We made some very conservative decisions," he said. "In this case, we just assumed it's historic."

In addition to soliciting public comments at the meeting, the corps is accepting emailed comments at colin.c.smalley@usace.army.mil about the historic impact of demolition until 5 p.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024, Smalley said.

Corps Signoff

The end result of the federally regulated process will be a Memorandum of Agreement negotiated between the corps and the property owner about what steps need to be taken to preserve its historic elements.

The corps will oversee the process and enforce its determinations, which has the force of law, Smalley said. If the corps doesn't sign off, the demolition permit won't be approved, he said.

Update:

Michael Tadin Jr. said he values community input about the future of the site and is eager to keep the demolition review process moving forward as a matter of safety.

"Despite retaining multiple security staff for the Damen Silos property, trespassing and other criminal activity continues to occur," he said. "I am very concerned that it’s not a matter of if, but when, something tragic happens there."

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