“Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez says he’ll attempt to block a demolition permit for a former coal plant in Pilsen until more details are released about potential environmental impact and the building owner reveals the long-term plan for the site.
“NRG Energy has asked the city for permission to destroy 13 structures around the idled Fisk coal-fired power plant which provided electricity for more than a century until it closed in 2012.
“Sigcho-Lopez (25th) said Monday that he wants NRG to tell the community what it plans to do with the plant, which is located at 1111 W. Cermak Road along the South Branch of the Chicago River. The main building, the largest structure, is not part of the recently announced demolition plan.
“‘Before they even start, we’re asking to hold the permits immediately so we know what are their plans?’ Sigcho-Lopez said in an interview. ‘We want to halt all permits until we have a detailed and serious conversation.’
“Community members want detailed reports about what toxic metals or chemicals may be released into the air once a demolition begins. They also want a detailed dust-control plan before the work is approved. Soil should be tested for harmful materials ahead of any city approvals, they say.
“‘We do not want any of the permits to be approved without these demands’ being met, said Rose Gomez, a community activist with Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization.
Gomez said community residents also want a nonpolluting entity to eventually replace the coal plant on the river. (Chase, Chicago Sun-Times, 10/13/25)
“Located on the South Branch of the Chicago River, the enormous Fisk Power Station dates from 1903. Designed by architects Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, it achieved the previously impossible task of employing technology to create the world’s largest coal-fired electrical generators, based around the steam engine turbine. These systems redeveloped and refined the mammoth production of electricity for a rapidly growing city at a magnitude never before seen. Fisk became the model that was copied and replicated around the world.
“Decommissioned in 2012, the Fisk Power Station stands as an important reminder of Chicago’s industrial heritage and is an important architectural asset that should be preserved and reused. A repurposed and re-envisioned Fisk Power Station could resemble the Tate Modern— a shuttered London power plant completely re-envisioned as a world-class art museum which has become one of the United Kingdom’s largest tourist attractions. Fisk would become a huge asset as a cultural and community center to Pilsen, Chinatown, Near-Southwest side and Central Area residents.
“With the recent tragic demolitions of Crawford Power Station and State Line Power Station, Fisk remains the last large-scale survivor of Chicago’s power generation history reflecting the growth of the city into an industrial powerhouse.
“Additionally, the historic buildings only cover a small portion of the approximately 50-acre riverfront site, which would allow ample area for green space and new community-oriented development. It is currently owned by the same real estate development company responsible for the demolition of Crawford Station.” (Preservation Chicago 2023 Chicago 7 Most Endangered)
Read the full story at Chicago Sun-Times and Preservation Chicago
- Alderperson threatens to block Pilsen coal plant teardown; Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says he wants to know the long-term plan for the idled plant on the river. Community members are concerned about harmful dust, Brett Chase, Chicago Sun-Times, 10/13/25
- Pilsen Neighbors Urge City To Reject Fisk Power Station Demolition Permits; Midwest Generation plans to demolish parts of the closed coal plant; Neighbors and Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez are urging the city to halt the process, citing environmental and health risks, Francia Garcia Hernandez, Block Club Chicago, 9/29/25
- Southwest Side Industrial Buildings: Fisk Power Station – A Preservation Chicago 2023 Most Endangered Chapter