The massive Damen grain silos, built at the beginning of the 20th century, appear to finally be coming down this year, and city officials are holding one last meeting to discuss the planned demolition of the structures.
The meeting is scheduled for Arturo Velasquez Westside Technical Institute, 2800 S. Western Ave., from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 27.
Preservationists and others have asked owner Michael Tadin Jr. to consider keeping the historic structures or to sell to someone who would adapt them for a new use.
Tadin hasn’t said what he will do with the land, which sits near South Damen Avenue along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. But he has made it clear that he’s not looking to sell the more than 20 acres that he acquired from the state for $6.5 million in December 2022.
A demolition permit for the Damen site has not been issued. Tadin said Tuesday he hopes to complete the demolition by the end of this year. Separately, Tadin owns MAT Asphalt in McKinley Park.
Officials with the city’s Department of Buildings and Department of Public Health are expected to be at the June 27 meeting to answer questions.
The biggest portion of the demo project includes two sets of 80-foot concrete silos and a tower that’s about 110 feet tall.
The demolition is deemed an “environmentally complex” project because of its size and potential impact on the surrounding community.
That phrase was introduced through reforms during former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration after an implosion in Little Village Easter weekend 2020 to destroy part of a former coal-fired power plant created a massive dust cloud that blanketed the community.
City officials have promised that they will not repeat the mistakes made during the Little Village implosion. Instead, the Damen Silos are expected to be dismantled piece by piece without any major blasts as part of the demolition process.
“They said they would do this proper and slow,” 12th Ward Ald. Julia Ramirez said.
Ramirez said she was involved in efforts to preserve the silos, but she doesn’t believe that they will be salvaged.
“We worked on this for two years now,” Ramirez said. “We’ve tried a lot of different avenues.”