Calumet River: Chicago’s Next Big Waterfront?

For over 150 years, the Calumet River has been intrinsically linked to Chicago’s economy, serving as a vital artery for industry and commerce. However, this history has come at a cost. Decades of industrial activity have left the river heavily polluted and unsuitable for recreational use. Now, a collaborative effort between city planners and community advocates is underway to envision a transformed Calumet River, a project that acknowledges the river’s rich past while striving for a more vibrant and inclusive future. This ambitious undertaking, while expected to span decades, aims to revitalize the river and its surrounding communities.

Initially, the riverbanks were dotted with grain elevators. But the arrival of a steel mill near 109th Street in 1875 marked the beginning of Southeast Chicago’s manufacturing boom. This era saw the rise of a formidable steel industry, with mills employing tens of thousands and producing the steel used in iconic structures like the Sears Tower. However, by the 1980s, the decline of the American steel industry, symbolized by the closure of Wisconsin Steel in 1980 (the same year as the famous “Blues Brothers” bridge jump), left behind a legacy of industrial sites. The once-thriving steel mills were replaced by bulk storage facilities, scrap metal yards, and warehouses, failing to fill the void left by the high-paying jobs. “Steel mills were the economic engine for this community,” notes Rod Sellers, director of the Southeast Chicago Historical Museum, highlighting the profound impact the industry had on the lives of generations of residents.

The influx of industry brought three distinct waves of immigration to the Southeast Side, according to Sellers. Northern Europeans, followed by Polish, Croatian, and other Slavic immigrants, and later, Mexicans and Black Americans during the Great Migration, all contributed to the area’s diverse cultural tapestry. Now, community members envision a future where the Calumet River offers recreational opportunities alongside its existing industrial uses. “What the community would like to see is more opportunity for residential and commercial development—to no longer be so inundated by industry,” explains Yessenia Balcazar, senior planning manager for the Southeast Environmental Task Force.

Reflecting this desire for change, the Southeast Environmental Task Force organized a boat tour in October, providing a unique perspective on the river’s current state. The tour, documented by the Chicago Sun-Times, traversed the Calumet, passing landmarks such as Crowley’s Yacht Yard and the Ford Motor Company’s Chicago Assembly Plant, highlighting both the industrial legacy and the potential for transformation. Chicago’s ongoing review of land-use policies in low-income communities, spurred by a federal civil rights investigation and a subsequent binding agreement in 2023, provides a framework for these changes. Adam Flickinger, planning director for Friends of the Chicago River, emphasizes the long-term vision required: “It’s really thinking now what that future looks like,” he says, acknowledging the decades-long process ahead. The revitalization of the Calumet River represents not just environmental remediation, but also a crucial step towards building a more equitable and sustainable future for the Southeast Side.