The owner of the historic Damen Silos on the West Side moved a step closer toward demolishing the former grain storage structures, though city officials still have to sign off on the plan.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave the green light on Monday to Michael Tadin Jr., whose family business acquired the property from Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration two years ago. The Army Corps became involved with the process because of the silos' location by the Chicago River.
Tadin can tear the structures down as long as he installs historic markers memorializing the silos that include salvaged materials, according to a memorandum of agreement announced by the Army Corps. Tadin signed an agreement with the corps and Illinois Historic Preservation officials.
Preservationists sought to save the structures as a symbol of city’s historical ties to agricultural commodities. The silos and surrounding buildings have been unused for decades, though they made an appearance in the 2014 movie “Transformers: Age of Extinction.”
Tadin, who bought the 23-acre property for $6.5 million, said Tuesday he still hasn’t decided what to do with the land. Tadin separately owns MAT Asphalt, 2055 W. Pershing Road, in McKinley Park and has said that he has no plans for another asphalt plant.
Tadin still needs clearance from city reviewers, including those with the Department of Buildings and the Department of Public Health.
Because of its size, the teardown is considered by the city to be an “environmentally complex” demolition, a term developed after the 2020 Crawford coal plant implosion debacle in Little Village. Chicago officials had given a private developer, Hilco Redevelopment, the go-ahead to take down an almost 400-foot smokestack through implosion.
It’s unclear how long the process will take or when demolition will begin on the silos.
“Other permits are still outstanding from the city before demolition can proceed,” a city spokeswoman said. “Specific timing is not yet known.”
