CHICAGO — Skender has completed construction of a 38,000-square-foot expansion for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a nonprofit anti-hunger organization that provides food for families and individuals experiencing food insecurity. The expanded prepared meals center, located at 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place, was completed seven weeks ahead of schedule and has enabled the food bank to increase its capacity to distribute up to 10,000 meals per day.
The project added a commercial kitchen for meal preparation, cold storage spaces, a new lobby and 11.5 acres of site work with parking for volunteers and guests. Skender also coordinated and facilitated the installation of a singular Hydroponic Container Farming Unit, which enables the food depository to grow its own fresh herbs. The development has received LEED Silver certification. The project team included JLL as owner’s representative, Partners by Design as architect, V3 Cos. as civil engineer, Buro Happold as structural engineer, Salas O’Brien as mechanical engineer and PM&E Partners as food processing engineer.