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The Wrigley Factory, 3535 S. Ashland, 1933...Chicago. Closed in 1995.
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Chicago Mecca Of Murder posted
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| Growoing up in Chicago posted 1933 - The Wrigley Factory, 3535 S. Ashland. Closed in 1995. Marti L. Foster: My Mom worked there from 1970 to 1987, she loved that place, said it was the best job she ever had. Sadly it is now an Amazon warehouse. |
Once again, I have to use the older images in the birds-eye view because the buildings have been torn down. The plant was closed in 2006 and torn down after it was sold in Feburary, 2012. (curbed) (An update I added below indicates the building was closed in 1995.) And they are not even making a parking lot! So the Central Manufacturing District has lost another set of buildings and the city has lot more of its tax base.
Kevin Piper posted a history and several images.
The offices have moved to the Wrigley Global Innovation Center and manufacturing has moved to Yorkville. There was enough land in the city they could have built a modern factory there and have room to expand if they built a parking garage. But you don't need as much parking in the city because there is some public transportation. I'll bet there is no public transportation in Yorkville. So not only are employees forced to move, some may have to buy a car. Is the new plant more automated and they wanted most of the employees to quit in disgust? That might save them severance pay. Also, good luck getting the brains in the office complex to go to the plant to figure out how to fix manufacturing problems. Especially the plant in Atlanta, Georgia.
The following two images are at the same scale. Also, the poor truck drivers have to drive a ways on IL-47 before they can get to an Interstate road. The city plant was a few blocks down the road from an I-55 exit that quickly connects with interstates to all points of the compass. (The new site is next to a railroad, but they are not using it. The old site did have rail service, but I doubt if they were still using it.)
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| HansJager via Google via Facebook Don Mac I believe they just [Jan 2020] finished tearing this building down. [The HansJager link is worth clicking. He has info and photos concerning these buildings, the Central Manufacturing District and Chicago corruption.] |
I read that Wrigley has been sold to Mars and that they are adding a Skittles plant to the Yorkville facility. So maybe they do need a lot of land to grow. And the trucks may just go to one of the several logistics companies that have been built in the Bolingbrook area and those companies handle the deliveries to the stores across the nation and the world.
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A Chicago Tribune article by Samantha Bomkamp describes the Skittles expansion. Unfortunately, the article I tore out of the paper does not include the date. A $50 million plant expansion was sweetened by $3 million state and local incentives, mostly state. Demand has grown so the Yorkville production will augment what is currently made in Waco, TX.The 145,000 sq ft expansion will support the growth of the top-selling nonchocolate candy in the U.S. The new production line adds 75 workers to the 300 already at the plant making gum and mints such as Juicy Fruit, Doublement and Life Savers. Comparing the bing image below to the Google image above, the new line must be the new building on the east side of the facility.
Edward Kwiatkowski posted three photos with the comment: "Demolition of the Wrigley's Chewing Gum factory on South Ashland Avenue and West 35th Street, in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. Chicago Illinois. May 2020."
Ted Gregory shared
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Headquarters
And his famous headquarters. It is hard to appreciate how much guts it took to build on the north side of the river after the Michigan Avenue Bridge just opened until you see photos like this one. Michigan was not the "Magnificent Mile" back then. In fact, even by 1963 when Marina City was built, it was considered risky to do a major development on the north side of the river.
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| Daniel Bovino posted In this 1922 aerial of Chicago, the tallest building is the Wrigley. The Tribune Tower was not yet built. Rush Street had a small bridge behind the Wrigley building that spanned the Chicago River. In the foreground are train sheds. They were located at the IC's Mile Post 0. This represented the beginning of the Illinois Central railroad. Paul Webb shared |
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| Janet Morrow posted Wrigley building in 1922. It was amazing in it's day. |
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| Eric J. Nordstrom posted photographic image (scanned from original glass negative) of graham, anderson, probst & white's 30-story wrigley building (south tower) as it appeared on august 22, 1922. the image was taken by or for the great lakes dredge and dock company. courtesy of the bldg. 51 archive. David Daruszka: Smoky Chicago air. |
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| I grew up in Illinois posted The Wrigley Building, a dazzling white structure gracing the Chicago skyline, is more than just a beautiful building; it's a symbol of the city's rich architectural heritage. Conceived by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr., the building was erected between 1920 and 1924 as the headquarters for his company. Its distinctive twin towers, clad in shimmering white terra-cotta, were designed by the architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, drawing inspiration from the Giralda Tower in Seville, Spain. As the first major commercial building north of the Chicago River, the Wrigley Building played a pivotal role in transforming Michigan Avenue into the iconic Magnificent Mile. Its elegant design and prominent location quickly established it as a landmark, captivating the eyes of locals and visitors alike. Today, the Wrigley Building remains a cherished symbol of Chicago's architectural prowess and a testament to the vision of a man who wanted to create a building as radiant as his successful business. Architectural details: * The Wrigley Building's facade is adorned with intricate limestone ornamentation, featuring gargoyles, grotesques, and other decorative elements. * The building's crown is a masterpiece of terra-cotta craftsmanship, featuring a clock tower and four smaller towers topped with copper roofs. * The lobby boasts a grand staircase and a magnificent stained-glass ceiling, showcasing the Art Deco style popular during the building's construction. The Wrigley family legacy: * William Wrigley Jr.'s wife, Dorothy, played a significant role in shaping the building's design. She insisted on the use of white terra-cotta, giving the building its distinctive and elegant look. * The Wrigley family maintained ownership of the building for over 90 years, ensuring its meticulous preservation. Interesting facts: * The Wrigley Building was briefly the tallest building in Chicago until the Tribune Tower surpassed it in 1925. * The building's floodlights were originally used to promote Wrigley's gum but now illuminate the Chicago skyline at night, creating a breathtaking spectacle. |
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| Windy City Historians posted 1930s original photograph of downtown chicago (looking southwest) from howells and hood's tribune tower (1925). the wrigley building (1921) is in foreground below. courtesy of bldg. 51 archive. |
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Raymond Kunst posted Construction of the Wrigley building on the Chicago River (1920-1924). The old Rush street bridge in the foreground. [There are some comments about the pollution.] |
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| [The photo above this one has better resolution.] Historic Chicago posted Wrigley Building and the Rush Street Bridge (1921) The Rush Street Bridge is the open swing bridge in the middle of the river. It would be permanately open until it was removed because it has been replaced by the Michigan Avenue Bridge behind it. US City Views posted Wrigley Building and the Rush Street Bridge Chicago (1921) In 1921, the Wrigley Building, newly completed, became an iconic addition to Chicago’s skyline. Its gleaming white facade, inspired by Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and its prominent clock tower made it an instant landmark. The building’s location near the Rush Street Bridge, which spanned the Chicago River, highlighted its significance as a gateway to the city’s bustling commercial district. The bridge itself was a vital link between the north and south sides of the city, facilitating the flow of people and goods. Together, the Wrigley Building and the Rush Street Bridge symbolized Chicago’s architectural innovation and its role as a center of commerce and industry in the early 20th century. |
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| Kevin R Doerksen commented on the above Historic Chicago post. A view from overhead from 1920 |
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| MWRD posted A view of a boat docked on the Chicago River near the Wrigley Building, looking northwest from the DuSable Bridge on Michigan Avenue on September 14, 1926. |
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