Uses

Current plans for use of the building include brewing beer, manufacturing living walls, food business incubating and the Vertical Farm.

Sustainable Manufacturing Space for Lease

Roughly 45,000sf of the Plant will be developed for green and sustainable manufacturing use. If you are interested in locating your business in a dynamic, sustainable environment, spaces can be made available between 600 and 20,000sf.

• • Heavy floor loadings, all concrete with red brick surface
  • Floor drains throughout
  • Vapor-tight fixtures
  • 6,000 lbs. capacity freight elevators
  • 14 foot ceilings
  • 480 volt, three phase service
  • Fully ADA compliant
  • Truck height loading docks
  • Sustainably renovated for green manufacturing
  • Access to green roof, shared kitchen and eating area

For more information about space to be made available for lease at The Plant, contact john@plantchicago.com.

Vertical Farm

Vertical Farm – the Concept

In recent years, the vertical farm has grown as an interdisciplinary topic among researchers in public health, agronomics, architecture and engineering. Interest is fueled by concerns that a rapidly growing, increasingly urban world population will exhaust the supply of arable farmland within decades, and that agricultural crop run-off already devastates ecosystems on land, in waterways, and in coastal waters.

In concept, vertical farms would answer these problems with highly efficient production of food in large, multi-story, urban buildings. Indoor farming promises high crop yields, due to year-round production in an engineered environment, shielded from flood, draught, and pestilence. It also offers environmental advantages, eliminating agricultural crop run-off, reducing fossil fuel use as food is produced in urban areas where it is also consumed, and potentially allowing revival of natural ecosystems on former farmland.

The theoretical advantages of vertical farm production are matched by real trends that make local production of organic foods a viable business model. Consumers pay premiums for such foods, and local production brings food to market quickly, while minimizing transport and cold store costs.

Aquaponics – in Practice

Aquaponics is a subset of indoor farm production, combining aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (plants without soil) in a closed cycle where waste from fish is converted to nitrates for plants, and where water is carefully aerated and filtered for circulation through both parts of the system.

Large, successful aquaponic farms are currently operated by Growing Power, in Milwaukee Wisconsin, and AquaRanch Industries, in Flanagan Illinois. They have proven advantages, including the ability to raise large yields in a small area, while minimizing both input of water, and the output of waste.