Demolition of Damen Silos In Chicago Clears Key Hurdle, as Army Corps Lends Its Approval

The proposed demolition of the Damen Silos has cleared a significant hurdle, gaining a key authorization Monday from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Chicago’s Department of Buildings, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, still needs to weigh in on the demolition permit application, but the Corps’ approval was necessary due to the site’s location on the South Branch of the Chicago River.

The massive silos — popular with urban explorers and famously featured in “Transformers: Age of Extinction” — date back more than a century but haven’t been used as grain elevators since the 1970s.

The state of Illinois sold the 23-acre parcel at 2860 S. Damen Ave. in 2022 to MAT Limited Partnership owner Michael Tadin Jr. for $6.5 million.

At the time of the purchase, Tadin told WTTW News he planned to develop the Damen Silos site as a “state-of-the-art headquarters” for MAT.

Responding to WTTW News on Tuesday following word of the Army Corps’ approval, Tadin said, “At this point, we have no final plans for (the site’s) development as we consider our options.”

His intention still is to demolish the silos, which would happen in the early part of 2025 pending the city’s sign-off, Tadin said.

Preservationists had hoped the silos could be saved and repurposed. Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, told WTTW News he’s still holding out for an 11th hour solution that could see the property change hands and the silos rescued from the wrecking ball.

Preservation Chicago has floated the idea, Miller said, of a public-private partnership involving a developer and the Chicago Park District, with the site being transformed into much-needed grounds for the city’s mega-festivals such as Riot Fest. A venue along the lines of the Salt Shed could also be incorporated into this plan, he said.

“How could we get there?” Miller asked.

Though Tadin has been gracious in fielding his calls, Miller said, “We need leadership from the mayor and the Park District…. I don’t think we have (their) full attention.”

The Department of Buildings has been moving quickly of late in granting demolition permits, Miller said, which has him worried that time is running short to bring people to the table — including representatives from community organizations — to explore alternatives for the silos.

“It’s kind of unfortunate this is all coming about now,” Miller said. “If we were all to sit down soon … some wonderful things could occur.”

If the silos are demolished, a Memorandum of Agreement among the Army Corps, MAT and the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office lays out several stipulations designed to “mitigate” the “adverse” effects of the silos’ loss.

These mitigations include the placement of educational displays or markers on the property that memorialize the history of the silos. The signs or markers are required to incorporate salvaged materials or artifacts from the silos and barge loading dock. Existing loading ramps must be integrated into future building design.

The Memorandum of Agreement also references a publicly accessible riverwalk, one feature of which should be the re-use of some of the site’s existing paving bricks.

Tadin said he embraced these stipulations.

“As we’ve stated from the start of this process, the Damen Silos is an iconic piece of Chicago history,” he said. “We look forward to transforming the property for its future use…. We value being a good neighbor and steward of this land, and that diligence is reflected by this demolition permit approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.”

That same approval from the Army Corps also determined no additional certification from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency was necessary, as demolition activities weren’t likely to pollute the adjacent waterway. However, the authorization did state: “This permit does not authorize discharge of any demolition debris into waters of the United States.”