Efforts to reclaim the Otis Elevator foundry building at 16th and Laflin Streets in Pilsen and convert it to residences are underway. Construction crews have begun demolition work on the interior and west end of the 1902 structure. This major undertaking is led by developer R.P. Fox & Associates of Oak Park, who’ve brought on Mayer Jeffers Gillespie Architects to plan the overhaul.
Rendering for Pilsen Foundry Lofts by Mayer Jeffers Gillespie Architects
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The ambitious reclamation project will create a four-story building with 84 dwelling units and 42 parking spaces. The renovation permit was issued by the city on December 10 of last year, with the permit showing a reported construction cost of an even $8 million. An Instagram post from MJDA shows work has been underway since at least February. There has been no announcement yet as to when units will be available, and this certainly appears to be a long-duration construction process.
Looking east on 16th Street. Photo by Daniel Schell
A peek at partial demolition at the building’s west end. Photo by Daniel Schell
Looking east from the alley off Laflin Street. Photo by Daniel Schell
It is, of course, difficult to observe the work general contractor FGAC Construction is performing right now, as there isn’t much to see from outside. There has been significant demolition at the far west end of the structure, and there’s a lot to do indoors to disassemble and remove the remnants of the building’s industrial past.
Photos showing the interior of the foundry were taken from the sidewalk through open doors while the construction crew was working. There was no unauthorized entry involved.
Peering the length of the building, from Laflin Street to the now-open western end. Photo by Daniel Schell
West end demolition has created an open space. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Pilsen Foundry denizens will reside within a wide variety of transit options. Stops for CTA Route 9, X9, 18, and 60 are all within a three-block walk. For rail travel, the 18th Pink Line elevated train platform is about four blocks west, while the property lies midway between the Halsted Street and Western Avenue BNSF Metra stations.
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This is such an awesome project, probably the best new development in the city right now. I only hope it turns out as nice and the renders.
very very cool project
LOVE THIS! I hope this continues to gentrify Pilsen further. We need the rents to go up and up to help encourage even more investment
Spoken like a true gentrifier.
yeah the vacant building was contributing so much to the area 🙁
More local money means more potential to restore the crumbling cathedral. An underutilized industrial building certainly wasn’t contributing much to the community.
All that neighborhood now needs is to vote out that loser of an Alderman, bring somebody in who actually wants to see the neighborhood thrive, get cleaner, and see more development and new businesses
Agreed. Pilsen needs a Walter Burnett. For that matter, every ward in the inner-city needs a Walter Burnett. He calls the nimbys out for their hypocrisy and then turns around and approves projects with even greater height and density than what the developers had initially asked for.
I was being sarcastic, figured it’d fly on a YIMBY site
I sensed the wit. I was refuting the anti-progress of anything crowd more.
To be against gentrification is to be for either stagnation or regression. When the comments are against fixing up derelict properties, it’s clear that current and future livability is not taken seriously.
I walk by this site daily and they’ve made a lot of progress over the past month or so. This morning I saw the most construction workers on site to date, so I’m really looking forward to seeing the progression over the summer. That block has long been full of garbage and dog feces.