Last week, Chicago YIMBY highlighted new plans for a Guinness brewery conversion of the former Pennsylvania Railroad terminal building at 375 N Morgan Street in Fulton Market District. Now, demolition has kicked off for the building’s non load-bearing walls as its outer shell undergoes replacement. The project is being co-developed by Guinness and Fred Latsko, and will involve the adaptive re-use of the existing masonry structure, alongside the construction of a new 33-story tower adjacently west.
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Interior rendering of 375 N Morgan Street by Guinness
The 15,000 square feet of programming within the conversion will function as a 10-barrel brewery, adjoined by a taproom with Irish-themed dining from local chefs.
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
The unoccupied former railroad building has more recently been a canvas for famed artist Solomon Souza and other mural and street artists. These marked walls will be replaced with a dark brick and black wood facade, punctuated by warehouse-inspired windows. The industrial-chic interior will be accompanied by exposed structural elements, brick walls, and a glass window wall that provides a view of the barrels. The exact design for the tower portion has not been revealed.
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford; mural by Solomon Souza
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Future tenants and visitors will find bus access for Route 65, located at the intersection of Grand & Morgan via a five-minute walk northwest. Closest Route 8 bus service is a five-minute walk northeast to Halsted & Hubbard. One block north of that intersection is the convergence of Milwaukee, Grand, & Halsted, with bus service for Route 56. Underneath this intersection is also the CTA L’s Grand Station, with service for the Blue Line. The other CTA L option in the vicinity is the Green and Pink Lines at Morgan station via a seven-minute walk southwest.
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
Brewery Conversion at 375 N Morgan Street. Photo by Jack Crawford
While permits were issued earlier this month for the removal of the non load-bearing walls (filed under the address 901 W Kinzie Street), no other permits have been yet been filed or issued for either the conversion or the tower. With Aberdeen Construction Co as the general contractor, completion for the brewery is anticipated for the first quarter of 2023. It is currently unclear when the tower will complete.
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Wow they didn’t waste any time between the announcement and demo. I wonder if that was to avoid any uproar about the loss of public art? While the sleek aesthetic of the new project is usually appreciated, it’s a huge loss to lose all of the beautiful art that covers this building
I think you’re right.
It’s a damn shame they’re not at least preserving the mural on the east side of the building.
I think they’re on a slippery slope with whatever direction they take here. I personally think incorporating the existing art/graffiti (preserving the urban fabric) into the renovated structure would be a really cool move, both aesthetically and culturally. However, it’s good to think about the other side of the argument — like how segments of Chicagoans would look at massive European corporation coming in, partner with a rich white developer, and saying “ooh, we’re going to use this street art to help sell our corporate beer to white American tourists”. There would definitely be howls of cultural appropriation, co-opting (or simply stealing), etc. And it’s certainly possible that the artists of the big mural (“Original Sin” by Solomon Souza and Jas Peterson) were approached and declined to endorse its inclusion in the redesign.