Chicago – This is a message from the Chicago Department of Buildings to inform you of the beginning of demolition activity at 2900 South Damon Avenue, also known as the Damon Silos site. Demolition begins on Monday, July 14, 2025 and will last approximately 6 months, depending on the weather.
Working in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, both departments will have inspectors on site for the entirety of this environmentally complex demolition. The 5 structures undergoing demolition will be removed mechanically without explosives.
To be clear, this is not an implosion. The DOB inspector on site has the authority to immediately stop the demolition if the contractor is not following the provisions of the Chicago Construction code. For mechanical demolitions, the code requires the demolition to begin at the top, completely removing the top floor before moving to the next level.
Together we are working to ensure the demolition complies with all of the code requirements which protects the health and safety of the residents of McKinley Park Community. For more information, please visit www.chicago.gov/NVcommunity info and contact 311 to report any community concerns. Thank you.
This is a message from the Chicago Department of Buildings to inform you of the beginning of demolition activity at 2900 South Damon Avenue, also known as the Damon Silos site. Demolition begins on Monday, July 14, 2025 and will last approximately 6 months, depending on the weather.
Working in partnership with the Chicago Department of Public Health, both departments will have inspectors on site for the entirety of this environmentally complex demolition. The 5 structures undergoing demolition will be removed mechanically without explosives.
To be clear, this is not an implosion.
The DOB inspector on site has the authority to immediately stop the demolition if the contractor is not following the provisions of the Chicago Construction code.
For mechanical demolitions, the code requires the demolition to begin at the top, completely removing the top floor before moving to the next level.
Together we are working to ensure the demolition complies with all of the code requirements which protects the health and safety of the residents of McKinley Park Community.
For more information, please visit www.chicago.gov/NVcommunity info and contact 311 to report any community concerns. Thank you.
History
Built in 1906 by the Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, they replaced a previous wooden structure that burned down.
The silos were constructed using a new concrete pouring method developed by John S. Metcalf.
They were later used by the State of Illinois to store road-making materials.
The silos gained notoriety as a destination for urban explorers and were featured in the 2014 movie “Transformers: Age of Extinction”.
Recent events
Demolition began on July 14, 2025, using high-reach excavators and cranes, with a projected completion in October 2025.
In 2022, the State of Illinois sold the Damen Silos to Michael Tadin Jr. of MAT Asphalt for $6.52 million.
Tadin announced plans to demolish the silos, despite efforts by preservationists and community members to save them.
Demolition permits were issued in July 2025, according to Block Club Chicago.
Preservation and future
Preservation Chicago included the Damen Silos in their “2023 Chicago 7 Most Endangered” list.
Several organizations and community members advocated for preserving the silos and converting them into a public space, such as a park, garden, or entertainment venue.
Landmarks Illinois highlights the significance of the silos as a monument to Chicago’s grain industry and their potential for redevelopment that is “clean and equitable”.
The owner, Michael Tadin Jr., has not revealed specific plans for the 23-acre site after demolition, other than ruling out an asphalt plant.
