The Salt District

reimagining the site of an historic Chicago landmark as a river-centric entertainment district

Located along the North Branch of the Chicago River, Morton Salt is an iconic landmark that has been a recognizable destination for Chicago natives, visitors, and passersby for nearly a century. After the Chicago-based manufacturer shuttered its salt storage and packing facility in 2015, the 4.2-acre site was poised for redevelopment. Omni Workshop™ is leading the landscape design for the adaptive reuse project, coined the Salt District, which envisions the historic locale as a mixed-use destination that takes greater advantage of its proximity to the river.

The goal of the landscape design is to provide mutual linking connections between the facility and the river, creating accessible and inclusive spaces for gathering and entertainment, and bringing occupants closer to nature. Elements of the landscape are driven by sustainable principles, with native species and plantings that restore and replicate nature throughout. Existing salt hoppers are repurposed as tree planters, and the landscape slopes downward to bench seating with the goal of connecting people to the Riverwalk. A continuous strip of plants along the river and a wood boardwalk through the bioswale give people additional places to wander, ultimately creating an immersive nature experience.

The landscape design also calls for a continuous Riverwalk, which required a 30-foot set back into the property, and the team was faced with a stringent budget on a site that previously housed a tannery and a salt factory. Omni worked with Chicago’s Department of Buildings and Department of Water Management to prove the utility of Omni Infinity Media ™.

Working closely with the project’s civil engineer, V3 Companies, Omni determined how much soil could be placed on the site to manage a 100-year storm and determined where that soil could be best placed and graded. Stormwater runoff from disturbed areas on the site is redirected to Omni Infinity Media before discharging to the Chicago River. This process enables both detention and volume control amounts to be captured in Omni Infinity Media as surface storage.

Ultimately, the design complies with both the landscape and stormwater management ordinances for the project, while also producing cost savings and assisting with its approval by the City. It was the first time the City of Chicago employed innovative stormwater soils, creating a groundbreaking, decentralized green infrastructure solution to alleviate combined sewer overflow.