Could be nothing, or it could be something, but a soil sampler was spotted last week at Amtrak’s 14th Street rail yard in the South Loop, a potential site for a new baseball park for the Chicago White Sox. Of course, it is definitely something, because whether or not it becomes a White Sox destination, there are still redevelopment possibilities here. Everyone will want to know what’s going on beneath the surface, and it’s important to cover all the bases.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The sampling rig is likely doing two things. First, it’s drilling samples to determine what materials lie at what depths, like where does top fill become clay, and where does the clay become sand, and so on. is there groundwater down there, especially considering this portion of the nearly 50-acre site is right next to the South Branch. The results can also determine how soft or firm the materials are and whether they’ll compress under the weight of a structure.
Second, there are environmental aspects to be tested. Especially on an industrial site like a rail yard and its heavy machinery and locomotive traffic, checking for residual presence of fuel, oil, lubricants, and other contaminants is essential before starting a redevelopment project. So it is likely that multiple samples will be taken from around the site, not just this one instance we happened upon, and sent off to a lab for examination.
Speculation abounds, but this could be a step towards another sports stadium located directly across the river from the Chicago Fire’s construction of McDonald’s Park. We’ll keep an eye on it.
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Intriguing! Thanks for the undercover/aboveground sleuthing.
It would be great if the current White Sox stadium was paid for before they go anywhere else.
I really don’t get the need for a new White Sox stadium. The existing location could be great if ownership simply invested more in the surrounding neighborhood to make it more vibrant. So much potential on those surrounding parking lots. Look what they are already doing around the United Center. Wish Ishbia’s money that should be no problem at all.