Join Preservation Chicago on a walking tour of one of Chicago’s most remarkable built environments, in the city’s oldest neighborhood. The Central Manufacturing District (CMD), built in Bridgeport in the early 20th century, was the first planned industrial district of its kind in Chicago, and possibly the United States. An internationally-recognized model of the possibilities of complete urban planning, the CMD offered its industrial tenants unprecedented and progressive financial, social, architectural, and infrastructural amenities.
The tour will begin at the District’s original bank building, pass by the Bridgeport Art Center on the banks of the infamous “Bubbly Creek,” and conclude at the magnificent 2-million-square-foot Pershing Road Development – which, when it was built in 1917, included some of the largest concrete structures in the world. Along the way, we will explore intact original structures and streetscapes, discuss threats to the District’s preservation, and look at some exciting examples of re-use.
The tour will be lead by Preservation Chicago board members Jacob Kaplan and Susannah Ribstein.
