Former factory to be razed in Des Plaines, making way for apartment building

Demolition of a former bedding company factory in Des Plaines is set to begin next week, making way for a proposed apartment building and a smaller commercial building.

Both Des Plaines and Cook County have granted demolition permits for the roughly 107,000-square-foot building at 414 E. Golf Road that once was home to a facility for Florida-based Pacific Coast Feather Co., Des Plaines spokeswoman Jennie Vana said.

Pacific Coast Feather sold the building in 2018 to a company that used it for storage until early 2020, city officials said. It's been vacant since.

Developers with Terra Carta Partners bought the site last year. They want to build a five-story apartment building with 348 units on the property, as well as a 2,000-square-foot commercial building.

The proposal received preliminary approval from the city council in March.

The developers originally proposed two six-story apartment buildings with 449 total units, but they scaled back the plan after complaints from area residents about increased traffic, the impact on enrollment at local schools and other issues.

Occupying more than 6 acres, the property adjoins the Cumberland Metra stop, and the proposed apartment building is envisioned as a draw for people who would take public transportation to work or other destinations.

Alderman Artur Zadrozny, whose 4th Ward includes the industrial site, initially opposed the project, expressing concerns about the project's size and unit density.

He's since softened his stance and voted for the redevelopment plan in March.

"It's better to have that development than to have an empty, sitting building," Zadrozny said Wednesday.

Zadrozny also believes the project could attract new businesses to the neighborhood and boost sales at the Mariano's supermarket about a mile away on Golf Road.

"The building is going to benefit the city," he said.

City review of final development plans hasn't yet been scheduled, Vana said. Public discussions and a city council vote are required.

Even though the redevelopment plan hasn't been finalized, Terra Carta Partners is moving ahead with demolition to reduce safety issues on the property, Zadrozny said.

Demolition is expected to take two months, Vana said.

The developers have said they want the apartment building to be ready for residents by summer 2023.