Work begins to rehab a pair of old Fulton Market buildings

Two adjacent properties in Chicago’s hot Fulton Market District are in the midst of major overhauls that will see the existing older industrial structures transformed into new commercial space. Acquired by New York’s Madison Capital in 2015 as part of a four-building deal reportedly worth $27 million, both 936 and 939 W. Fulton Market have been granted permits for renovations penned by Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture and contracted to LG Construction.

Work was first cleared to begin at 936 W. Fulton Market in December of last year. The ornate, two-story former meatpacking building known as the old Fulton Central Market Building will receive a gut rehab to accommodate new retail and office use and see the addition of an elevator system.

Google Street View

Rendering via LG Development and Construction

Meanwhile, the existing 3-story meat packing building across the street at 939 W. Fulton landed a permit this week for interior demolition and the replacement of damaged structural floors, columns, and framing members. According to renderings of the completed project, a vertical expansion and the addition of a rooftop terrace also appear to be in the cards.

Google Street View

Madison Capital/HPA

Some Chicagoans may lament the neighborhood’s recent mass exodus of food wholesalers, but seeing these old buildings take on new life is a far more thoughtful alternative than demolition. While brand new construction is certainly playing a big role in the renaissance of Fulton Market, adaptive reuse projects—like Google’s 1K Fulton and the Soho House hotel and club—have been equally important catalysts in making the area such a desirable place to work, dine, and live.

• Renovation/alteration permit at 939 W. Fulton Market [Chicago Cityscape]
• Renovation/alteration permit at 936 W. Fulton Market [Chicago Cityscape]
• Another Fulton Market meatpacker sells out [Crain’s]
• Previous Fulton Market coverage [Curbed Chicago]