MCKINLEY PARK — If Ald. Patrick D. Thompson (11th) gets his way, the stretch of 35th Street between Ashland Avenue and Halsted Street will one day boom with big-box retailers, drawing shoppers from every corner of the 11th Ward.
In a recent interview with DNAinfo Chicago, Thompson said the future of the former Wrigley gum factory might be the key to making that happen.
Oak Brook-based developer Avgeris and Associates bought the 32-acre property for about $5 million in 2012. In the time since the sale, there have been rumblings of development — including a high-tech manufacturing hub — moving into the neighborhood.
Though the developer would not comment on the latest happenings at the fenced-in industrial patch near 35th and Ashland, Thompson said he’s had conversations with the bosses there.
“That particular owner is working with different retailers,” Thompson said, adding the company might be looking to establish a "tax increment financing" (TIF) district to offset development costs.
In 2013, wrecking crews demolished part of the building — built in 1911 with 175,000 square feet of space to produce Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company’s signature gum flavors, like Spearmint and Doublemint. The gum plant closed in 2006.
The portion of the building demolished “was basically falling down,” Thompson said. “So they had to go spend some money.”
Since buildings as old as the Wrigley factory were built like fortresses, Thompson said, the cost to prepare the site for development is often staggering.
Thompson has his own vision for the property — a prime-time spot that could serve as a much-needed shot in the arm for an area once known for its vibrant business.
“I’d like to see a store that’s not necessarily here or in this part of the city that could be an attraction,” Thompson said, “and a catalyst for other development around there.”
A store like Menards or Meijer would fit the bill, Thompson said.
"I’m pushing the folks to get going on something," he said. "We can't control the market. But we can control setting an environment" to attract business.
But building a big-box retail center near 35th and Ashland could also attract shoppers and traffic flow from the South Loop and other pockets of the city, Thompson said.
The alderman imagines shoppers one day hitting up stores on 35th Street and then shooting north to the Costco at 1430 S. Ashland Ave.
A retail strip on 35th Street would also enhance Archer, between Ashland and Halsted, where businesses once flourished.
“That, to me, is where I can see some attraction,” Thompson said. “I’d like to see that.”
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