Chicago Hosts First Vertical Farm in a Downtown Office Building in the U.S.
CHICAGO (WLS) — The first vertical farm located inside a downtown office building in the United States has opened its doors in Chicago, and it’s just the beginning of a new farming revolution.
At this innovative urban farm, workers cut fresh cilantro with scissors, place it into containers, and prepare it for delivery to local restaurants — where it could be served on the same night. Remarkably, all of this fresh produce is grown right in a Loop office building on La Salle Drive. The space was formerly occupied by a law firm but has now been transformed into a revolutionary indoor farm.
“We don’t have the challenge of pesticides. We don’t have pests and rodents and things like adverse weather conditions knocking out entire crops,” explained Farm Zero CEO Russ Steinberg.
Currently, the farm operates within a 500-square-foot area using trays and a hydroponic drip watering system that recirculates water. Instead of soil, the plants grow in a cotton-like material, and energy-efficient LED lights provide an effective substitute for natural sunlight.
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Although the farm’s current scale is somewhat limited, Farm Zero is expanding rapidly. Plans are underway for a massive new facility inside the historic former home of Roosevelt University on South State Street. The 137-year-old building occupies an entire city block and spans approximately half a million square feet — offering ample space to significantly increase food production.
“We’re developing land inside downtown vacant office buildings,” Steinberg added.
One of Farm Zero’s customers is Blue Plate Catering, which highly values the fresh, healthy vegetables supplied by a local urban farm.
“If you go to Whole Foods or Mariano’s, that food is coming from California or Mexico. Eighty percent of our food comes from there. So, to have a local business that can support, I think it’s a huge breakthrough,” said Blue Plate Executive Chef Charles Haracz.
With 45 million square feet of vacant office space in downtown Chicago, there is tremendous potential for growing fresh food close to the city’s population.
“We have designs on creating an entirely new food system, tackling some of the major challenges that exist between commercial real estate vacancy and the public health crisis,” Steinberg said.
In addition to producing fresh food, Farm Zero serves as an eco-tourism spot. They have hosted tours for school groups and international business visitors, many of whom get the chance to sample the farm’s fresh produce.