Mayor Emanuel, Alderman Beale and Community Residents Announce Whole Food Distribution Center Coming to Pullman

When opened, the new facility will add 150 jobs in Chicago and serve as many as 70 Whole Foods Market locations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa, and the Canadian province of Ontario.
When opened, the new facility will add 150 jobs in Chicago and serve as many as 70 Whole Foods Market locations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa, and the Canadian province of Ontario.

Continuing its resurgence and becoming one of the Chicago’s largest industrial employment centers, the historic Pullman community will be the new home to the Midwest Region Distribution Center for Whole Foods. 

 Standing on the grounds of the former Ryerson Steel Plant in Pullman Park, a mixed-use planned development, behind Method Home, a leading manufacturer of green cleaning supplies, Gotham Greens, the world’s largest rooftop greenhouse, and the Walmart Super Store, 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale, accompanied by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and representatives of Whole Foods, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI), U.S. Bank and community leaders, made the announcement of  the agreement for  the new 150,000 square foot distribution center.


Michael Bashaw, Whole Foods Midwest regional president (right), points out the site for a new Pullman distribution center to Mayor Rahm Emanuel (center) and Alderman Anthony Beale (Ward-9th).

“A little over one year ago President Barack Obama designated the historic Pullman district as a National Monument. Today, Whole Foods is joining the robust group of manufacturing companies that call Pullman home,” said Beale. “Today’s groundbreaking is an investment in the future – the future of Chicago and the future of the Pullman/Roseland area.”

 The new facility, which will replace the Munster Indiana location, is expected to employ approximately 150 and will be used for warehousing, cold and dry storage, food preparation, distribution and office space.

 “Pullman and the Calumet basin that surround it, reveal a great story of vision and tenacity. Over the last years old and new residents have successfully worked to reclaim and revitalize housing, attract manufacturing and retail while protecting the environmental riches that make the area unique. We are thrilled that Whole Foods recognize the great progress made here and are investing in the area to ensure we continue that trajectory into the future,” said David Doig, President of CNI.

 Created on a 17-acre site owned by U.S. Bank, the new industrial warehouse and distribution facility at 111th and Doty Avenue will serve as a great complement to the continuing revitalization of the Pullman neighborhood which includes the location of many new manufacturing companies, the sale of rehabbed homes, the creation of a new trucking and logistic training center and the establishment of a very successful retail center.

 “We are deeply committed to the Chicago market, including the revitalization of the Pullman area, which U.S. Bank has been actively involved in since 2009," said Marsha Cruzan, Chicago market president for U.S. Bank. "We are proud of our partnership with Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, which we helped establish, and have made significant investments to bring companies and organizations like Walmart, Ross Stores, Mercy Lakefront Housing and, more recently, Method Home Products to this community.  The addition of Whole Foods' distribution center will provide much-needed jobs for neighborhood residents and continue to improve the entire area."

CNI, master developers for Pullman Park, will oversee the environmental remediation, site preparation, dynamic compaction and infrastructure work for the site before a third party developer begins construction of distribution center.

 Site preparation is expected to commence this Summer and the construction of the new facility is expected to start later this year.

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