Salt Shed, Chicago

2024 Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Adaptive Use

The former Morton Salt processing and distribution facility has stood as an iconic landmark in Chicago’s North Branch Industrial Corridor along the Chicago River for nearly 100 years. Its roof, with its widely recognizable Morton Salt Girl logo, has long greeted passersby on the Kennedy Expressway as they enter the city. After the factory ceased operations in 2015, the future of the local landmark remained uncertain until a development team, led by R2 Companies and Blue Star Properties with partnership from 16” on Center and Sky Deck, re-envisioned the 4.2-acre property. The redeveloped Salt Shed opened its doors in 2022 as an indoor/outdoor music and events venue. The project transformed the former industrial site into a tax-generating and job-creating economic force in the neighborhood. The now thriving arts-and-culture destination has sparked investment in the neighborhood and is attracting people to a new part of the city previously unexplored by many residents.

 

(Photo credit: ©Sandra Steinbrecher.)

Additional Information

Before the site was preserved and adaptively reused, many wanted the Morton Salt Factory to be demolished. After ceasing operations at the factory, the executive team at Morton Salt received a number of offers from developers interested in purchasing the site to raze the building in its entirety and build new industrial space. The Morton Salt team selected the team behind what is today the Salt Shed for their vision to reuse the property and honor its history. Once selected as the buyer for the site, the development team began to work through major roadblocks such as over $2 million of environmental remediation from underground storage tanks. Another $2 million-plus went to build a new seawall along the Chicago River, as the old one had shown signs of severe deterioration. This required working with both the Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard to receive building permits. Next, was to inspect the steel trusses in the building to understand the level of corrosion and structural integrity of the building for a new use. The result was significant selective demolition of certain structures, including the East Shed, where outdoor concerts and festivals now take place. All-in-all, the team simply had to complete a $50 million construction project, all during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Project Principals

• Matt Garrison, R2 Companies, Developer
• Craig Golden, Blue Star Properties, Developer
• Bruce Finkelman, 16” on Center, Concert & Hospitality
• Shannon Riddle, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Project Architect
• Michael Skowlund, Omni Ecosystems, Landscape Architect

LI Aks: Why is this place important to you?

Craig Golden, Blue Star Properties & Bruce Finkelman, 16” On Center

“The Morton Salt Company used the Salt Shed to mainly store road salt for over 100 years. When we came to see the property with the hopes of transforming it into a modern music hall, it was abandoned and in quite a state of disrepair. We were able to lay out and be comfortable with what we thought would be a good working conceptual drawing for the theater. Then, off we went in the pursuit of that goal. We love renovating antiquated and often left-to-decay buildings, turning them into useful and productive spaces, and contributing — as they once did in the past — to the social and economic fabric of the city of Chicago. This building was definitely one of those in need of attention, and we were up for the challenge.

With the Morton Salt iconic sign facing the highway, the Salt Shed has always been a reminder of what industrial Chicago once was, and how Chicago is the home of many of the most familiar brands in the world.

Our vision was to create a cultural center that not only spoke of the arts presented but also of the architectural past and the sense of place that makes Chicago a wonderful city to live in. We were also extraordinarily fortunate to have formed a partnership between us, Blue Star Properties/16” on Center, along with the then owners of the property Sky Deck and R2, to have put together the capital structure and share in the vision to see this project through.”

(Photos: before & after adaptive reuse)

LI asks: How did this place impact people in your community?

Craig Golden, Blue Star Properties & Bruce Finkelman, 16” On Center

“This project took hundreds of talented and hardworking Chicagoans to do the construction work, and it currently employs 200-plus people on a nightly basis during shows; pretty much like it did in the past.

In a world where current buildings rely more on efficiency and uniformity, we are extraordinarily proud to have transformed this wonderful relic from the past into what we hope is a modern, visually striking, impactful and community-contributing building for the future.

For us as the general contractor, handling all the interior design, as well as being the fortunate music promoter and operator we will be happily presenting arts and culture from the spot for many years.

It is really with such great pleasure every single time we walk into the room, full of happy people, lights and sound, chattering and clattering, that we are reminded over and over again of the joy we receive every day from this undertaking. We just can’t help but relish having the opportunity to have spent the last few years working on this project, creating the space and opportunity for us to continue here working and contributing to the cultural center that is Chicago.”