Since we first moved into The Firehouse in late 2019 we have been working on plans for renovating the building in alignment with our mission to cultivate local circular economies. Renovating, saving, and improving existing infrastructure, such as our 1908 firehouse, is clearly aligned with circularity. After all, why build something new when you can reuse what you already have?
That said, the building as it was when we moved in left a lot to be desired in terms of efficiency. First, as 1908 firehouse there was almost no insulation in any of walls or roof and we can feel a steady breeze coming through closed windows and doors. Second, our entire first floor is heated by inefficient gas powered garage style space heaters. And as for aesthetics, we have a beautiful interior replete with glazed tiles and tin ceilings, but the exterior has really taken a beating. At some point after 1979 when it stopped being a firehouse, a former owner bricked up all of the first floor windows and installed steel doors. Collectively, the history as a early 20th century firehouse and later use as light manufacturing for suitcases did not seem to take into account accessibility, either. Entrances and bathrooms were not installed with a consideration of a person with limited mobility.
So we have spent the past 4 years planning and working behind the scenes to assemble a massive list of improvements that collectively improve accessibility, aesthetics, functionality, and environmental impact.
The first phase of the project was largely focused on site control and making improvements that could be done on their own, including:
Cleaning up and revealing historical interior brickwork and flooring (2020)
Putting the first publicly available EV charging stations on the Southwest Side on line (2021)
Installing renewable energy systems - Solar PV (2023)
Phase 2 of our project is much more comprehensive, and includes a massive list of improvements that collectively improve accessibility, aesthetics, functionality, and environmental impact, such as:
Decarbonizing 90% of the building primarily by replacing gas powered heaters with a new air source heat pump HVAC system
Insulating roofs, walls, and doors where there currently is none (which is most of the building!)
Increasing accessibility by installing ADA bathrooms, ADA entrance at the front of our building, and an ADA parking space with EV charging at the rear of the building
Improving aesthetics by cleaning up the brickwork, re-installing windows and adding soft exterior lighting
Making the Indoor Victory Garden an incredible resource for our local growers, including spaces for processing, experimenting, and cold storage.
Image: a 3-D image of some of the decarbonization improvements coming to The Firehouse.
Critical Statistics:
Over 80% of the project will be performed by Minority and/or Women Business Enterprises (MBE, WBE).
Up to 50% of electricity usage will come from onsite renewable sources
Switching to air source heat pumps, along with other efficiency upgrades, will reduce carbon emissions by over 24% annually (about the same as taking 119 cars off the road)
When complete, the entire first floor and exterior of the building will be ADA accessible
---> Thanks to pledges from the City of Chicago's Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, the State of Illinois, and The Builders Initiative, we have 96% of the Phase 2 project costs pledged! IFF and Landmarks Illinois are also helping by providing loans for the project. But we could still use your support!