The former Morton Salt complex in Chicago is being reimaged as a music venue and multi-purpose space. The 4.2-acre, 100,000-sf complex sits along the north branch of the Chicago River, between the Kennedy Expressway and Goose Island. 

The Salt Shed, the first phase of the $45 million adaptive reuse, opened Aug. 7. It’s a 4,000-person outdoor venue offering live music, retail and concessions. The indoor complex — a music venue and office, retail, food and beverage, and event space — and river walk, is expected to open in 2023.  

IMEG is providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering services for the redevelopment, including work to convert the salt shed into the outdoor event center, and to convert the building into a shell and core for future tenants. The warehouse has 50-foot ceiling heights, column-free space and more than 500 linear feet of river frontage.  

Chicago architects Graham, Anderson, Probst & White designed the complex for Morton Salt to dry, store and bulk-package salt for distribution across the country. Morton occupied it from 1930 until 2015. 

As part of the renovation, the rooftop Morton Salt logo, with its slogan, “When it rains it pours” and image of a girl in a yellow dress holding an umbrella, was restored, and will continue to be visible to motorists on the expressway.  

Blue Star Properties and R2 are co-developing the project. The architect is Lamar Johnson Collaborative.