Environmental activists concerned after debris collapses into Chicago River during demolition for new casino
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago area water officials said Wednesday that they are monitoring debris in the Chicago River, after debris collapsed into the river during the demolition of the old Chicago Tribune Freedom Center printing plant.
The former printing plant is being demolished to make way for the new Bally's casino at Halsted Street and Chicago Avenue in River West.
On Saturday, part of a wall from the structure under demolition fell into the river.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Industrial Waste Division investigated the site, and said the construction company accepted responsibility and has begun the process of cleaning up after the collapse.
An oil boom was installed beneath the Chicago Avenue bridge to collect any possible flowing debris, while a barge was positioned at the site so no more debris would fall in the river.
Environmental activists from the group Urban Rivers expressed serious concerns about the collapse. They are worried about how plants and animals along the river could respond to what they worry could be toxic materials.
Stephen Meyer of Urban Rivers wrote that volunteers earlier this week noticed a large am amount of whit debris near the Wild Mile—a floating eco park the group is maintaining near Goose Island. Meyer wrote that larger field of debris was also found near the Division Street bridge—near which two snapping turtles, including one made famous from a viral video and named Chonkosaurus, are known to bask.
Two volunteers tried to clean up the debris with pool skimmers, but there was a lot stuck to the edges that was difficult to remove, Meyer wrote.
Meyer wrote that he later met with a representative of demolition contractor Brandenburg Industrial Services.
"We were also told this should be almost purely perlite aggregate, which was a relief since that is one of the least toxic materials it could be, but we are still concerned with what else could be mixed in with it and how plants and animals will respond to it," he wrote.
The Freedom Center, designed by the famed architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, opened in 1981. As described by Open House Chicago, 1-ton rolls of newsprint were shipped into the Freedom Center by train and truck and stacked in a warehouse, before being loaded onto 10 large offset web printing presses, where cylinders made up of aluminum plates and rubber covers transferred on the ink.
In addition to the Tribune itself, the Chicago Sun-Times, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal also used the Freedom Center for their printing operations.
Construction The new $1.7 billion casino and hotel complex will begin soon after demolition of the Freedom Center is complete. The 30-acre riverfront hotel and casino facility will open in the fall of 2026.
