South Works

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South Works is an area in the South Chicago part of Chicago, Illinois, near the mouth of the Calumet River, that was previously home to a now-closed and vacant US Steel manufacturing plant. The area is called "South Works" because that was the name of the now-shuttered steel plant. The use of the word "works," following a common name of the area in which the plant was located, was how US Steel named its plants back then. For example, the US Steel plant at Gary, Indiana, is known as "Gary Works."

Contents

History

Steel works

The facility that eventually became South Works began in 1857 under the name of the North Chicago Rolling Mill, which was located in the northern part of the city of Chicago. [1] The plant later moved to South Chicago because raw materials could be shipped in via Lake Michigan, as well as an existing labor pool and available fresh water from the lake and the Calumet River. [1] In 1889, the facility merged with three other steel mills to form a new company called Illinois Steel, which later became part of Federal Steel. [1] By 1901, the company was under the control of US Steel. [1] By 1951, the South Works boasted 11 blast furnaces, 8 electric furnaces, and 12 rolling mills, and employed some 15,000 employees. [2]

At its peak, the steel mill employed some 20,000 people, which spurred the development of a new community centered on the mill. [1] The mill complex covered a total of 600 acres (240 ha), part of which had been reclaimed from Lake Michigan with molten slag. [1]

Beginning in the 1970s, the facility began downsizing due to a shifting market for steel, and by the end of the decade the number of workers at the plant had declined to 10,000. [1] [3] The mill continued its decline, and on 9 January 1992, it was announced that the facility was to close. [1] On 10 April, the plant permanently shut down with fewer than 700 people employed at the time of its closing. [1] [3]

Post closure

Since the steel mill shut down, the area has stood mostly vacant, with only a single brick building and the remains of a ship dock standing. [4] The Solo Cup Company purchased 120 acres (49 ha) of the site, with the intent of constructing a factory, but later dropped the plans. [1] [3] In 2004, a new park was constructed on the lakefront, with topsoil composed of dried mud obtained from Peoria Lake. [3]

From July 8–10, 2011, the Dave Matthews Band hosted the Dave Matthews Band Caravan at part of the site, 150 acres (61 ha) of which had been cleared of vegetation and scrap materials, resurfaced with wood chips and renamed Lakeside for the event. [5] The three-day festival hosted numerous artists and bands, and was attended by about 100,000 people. [5]

Current state and Chicago Lakeside Development

The U.S. Steel, the developer McCaffrey Interests, and the City of Chicago propose an ambitious plan for an entirely new housing and commercial complex on roughly 470 acres (190 ha) of the site. [4] Known as the Chicago Lakeside Development, the proposed plan "includes zoning approvals for approximately 13,575 single family dwellings and high-rise units, 17,500,000 SF of retail, the newly-extended South Lake Shore Drive, 125 acres of open space/parks with bike paths, a 1,500-slip boat marina and a new high school." [6] In February 2016, McCaffrey announced that U.S. Steel had declined to proceed and the project as cancelled, but they would proceed with the project if U.S. Steel was willing to sell the land. [7]

In late January 2017 it was announced that U.S. Steel had agreed upon the sale of South Works to a joint venture between Barcelona Housing Systems and Emerald Living/WELink. Their plan included a large residential development with up to 12,000 homes. The sale price has not been disclosed, but reports indicate U.S. Steel had sought $55 to $80 million for the property. [8] In April 2018, it was reported that soil contamination on the site could create a barrier to the new development. [9] However, developer Emerald Living remains "very committed to the New South Works project." [10]

Currently, the site consists of two publicly accessible parks, Steelworkers Park and Park 566. Steelworker's Park includes a large prairie restoration and a monument to the U.S. Steel workers and their families. [11] Park 566 is proposed for redevelopment as open park space with natural areas, fitness trails, and lakeside overlooks. [12] [13] The rest of the site is closed to the public.

Related Research Articles

U.S. Steel American steel-producing company

United States Steel Corporation, more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations primarily in the United States of America and in several countries across Central Europe. It was the 8th largest steel producer in the world in 2008. By 2018, the company was the world's 38th-largest steel producer and the second-largest in the United Stares behind Nucor Corporation.

Indiana Dunes National Park United States National Park in Indiana

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Parks in Chicago

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Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal

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Hegewisch, Chicago Community area in Chicago

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Chicago Park District

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Port of Indiana Port

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Burnham Park (Chicago) Urban park

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The Duluth Works was an industrial steel and cement manufacturing complex located in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, in operation 1915 to 1987. The complex was operated by the United States Steel Corporation. Officially, the plant's purpose was to supply the growing Midwest with steel finished products. Unofficially, they were built as part of a "gentleman's agreement" between U.S. Steel and the State of Minnesota to not impose hefty iron ore taxes on U.S. Steel in exchange for a fully integrated steel plant within Minnesota, whose mines furnished 80% of the ore to U.S. Steel. The combined works of the steel and cement plant were the largest employers in Duluth and the fourth largest industrial complex in Minnesota.

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Chicago Lakeside Development is a proposed redevelopment of about 600 acres on the former U.S. Steel SouthWorks site on the South Side of Chicago, lying about 10 miles (16 km) south of the Chicago Loop. The plan calls for 13,575 new homes, 17,500,000 square feet (1,630,000 m2) of retail and other commercial space, a new high school, 1,500-slip marina, 125 acres of public land, lakefront access, new bike paths, and commuter rail and bus service would house 150,000 people. The Chicago Lakeside Development Master Plan will take an estimated 25 to 45 years to complete and will cost more than $4 billion in both public and private funds. The project was placed on indefinite hold in February 2016.

Glan Llyn Human settlement in Wales

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "South Chicago Industry". Northeastern Illinois University. Archived from the original on 9 April 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  2. ↑ "Southeast Side History - PowerPoint" (PDF). Chicago State University. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "South Works". Forgotten Chicago. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Chicago to Redevelop U.S. Steel Site on Lakefront". The New York Times. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  5. 1 2 "Dave Matthews Band Caravan: biggest South Side event since '33". Chicago Sun-Times. 9 July 2011. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Chicago Lakeside Development".
  7. ↑ ""Lakeside Development Dead After U.S. Steel and McCaffery Interests Split," by Sam Choles". DNAinfo. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Steel picks buyer for massive South Works site".
  9. ↑ "U.S. Steel South Works megadevelopment faces delay over soil contamination".
  10. ↑ "South Works developer says project is still on".
  11. ↑ ""Steelworkers Park," Chicago Park District website".
  12. ↑ ""Park 566 Framework Plan," Chicago Park District website, retrieved 12/25/2015" (PDF).
  13. ↑ "Hey and Associates, Inc. - Chicago Park District Park 566 Framework Plan". heyassoc.com.

Coordinates: 41°44′30″N87°32′0″W / 41.74167°N 87.53333°W / 41.74167; -87.53333

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