Destruction of the Damen Silos appears to be further delayed by a pending review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The city is reviewing plans to demolish the massive Southwest Side structures along the river near 29th Street and Damen, which were bought as part of a land sale by the state late last year.
That review is on hold until the Army Corps conducts its own inquiry under the National Environmental Policy Act, city officials said in a statement Tuesday.
“The city of Chicago will defer its decision on the demolition application pending the outcome of the federal permitting and [associated] review process and related community engagement, which may involve or raise environmental issues and mitigation measures relevant the city’s review,” the statement said.
In August, city officials promised that they would not allow the destruction of the silos until it was satisfied that the process would be carefully planned and included safeguards.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has said it doesn’t want to repeat the environmental debacle that Little Village residents endured in 2020 when developer Hilco, under the oversight of the city, imploded an almost 400-foot chimney at the former Crawford power plant that came crashing down and covered the community in dust.
The state sold the silos and more than 20 acres of riverfront property to businessman and city contractor Michael Tadin Jr. and his family for $6.5 million in December. Separately, Tadin is co-owner of MAT Asphalt in McKinley Park.
Tadin said he hasn’t decided what he will do with the property but confirmed that he’s going forward with tearing down the silos and redeveloping the area.
“We look forward to the process moving ahead through the appropriate permitting and review channels and ultimately bring forth a development that is part of the area’s revitalization,” Tadin said in a statement. “We understand that the city has an important responsibility to ensure that whatever replaces the Damen Silos is done with the utmost care.”
Some preservationists have suggested preserving the silos and somehow repurposing them. Since Tadin took possession of the property, no one has come forward publicly with a plan that would show how that could be done.
Tadin was the high bidder among potential buyers.
