Bye Bye Brach’s
by admin
It was reported this week in Crain’s Chicago Business that the old Brach’s candy factory on the city’s west side has been purchased by a developer who plans to raze the complex and build a massive warehouse and distribution center on the 30 acre site.
At one time a showcase of Chicago’s manufacturing might, Brach’s shut down in 2004 and has been sitting empty ever since, serving the needs of nobody. With no security to speak of, the complex has become a magnet for scrap metal thieves, graffiti ‘writers’, those who fancy themselves to be ‘urban explorers’, and photobloggers looking to beef up their Urban Decay photo set on flickr (not that I have any right to be critical…)
As much as I have enjoyed wandering the abandoned Brach’s complex, I’ve always been wary of how dangerous the place is. Entire staircases are ripped out and upper lever exterior walls have been smashed through. There are doorways that lead to nothing but an eight story drop, and I was told of at least one scrapper who fell to his death inside the building. Even after this tragic event, it seems that no effort was made to restrict unauthorized access to the facility.
So, yea: good riddance. I’m looking forward to watching the demolition work.
Well, I can think of a couple silos that are easily as dangerous, but my visit this week confirms this place is very messed up. The pools of water from all the recent snow make it that much creepier and harder to navigate–I slipped a few times (but didn’t fall), and had to do a lot of work to get around the missing stairs, and avoid the huge dark rooms…
Still, I’ve only been in there 4 times and there’s more to see, so I hope I’ve got a little time before the wrecking. This neighborhood needs a big new employer (if the warehouse/distribution thing works out) much much more than the West Loop needs new condos (the fate of the OTHER shuttered-and-demolished candy factory), so it’s hard to deny this actually is progress. I’ll miss that view from the Green Line, though…
Kahn-a-licious!