District Brew Yards, 417 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL

CHICAGO, IL—Structured Development and Burnt City Brewing have announced the completion of District Brew Yards, the nation's first brewery collective with a pour-your-own beer hall, located in a repurposed warehouse at 417 N. Ashland Ave., in Chicago's West Town neighborhood. Structured led the conversion of the former photography studio in partnership with Burnt City, whose beers will be featured in the brewery along with those of Around the Bend Beer Co. and Bold Dog Beer Co.

“Partnering with District Brew Yards allowed Structured to bring our expertise in adaptive reuse to West Town with an innovative project that celebrates the vintage charm of the neighborhood's historic warehouses while embracing Chicago's status as the brewing capital of the U.S.,” says Mike Drew, founding principal of Chicago-based Structured Development.

The taproom preserves many of the original design features of the 18,000-square-foot, bow-truss style building. These include refinished concrete floors, exposed brick walls and Douglas fir beams.

Burnt City and its partner breweries each have a dedicated, self-service tap wall that, in addition to pouring 10 of their beer varieties, showcases their respective brands. In addition, a “Fourth Wall” includes 10 guest taps reserved for established brands and emerging names that will make special varieties in-house. Brew Yards also houses a retail shop and features two original murals: one on the interior by visual artists and illustrators Benjamin Marasco and Erik Lundquist of B&E Studios, and a second – scheduled for completion in May – on the exterior by street artist Lauren Asta.

Interior of District Brew Yards, 417 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL

“We have an opportunity to have more fun making beer than ever before,” says Ben Saller, head brewer of Burnt City. “What we've built at the Brew Yards is basically a playground for experimentation and pushing boundaries.”

Among other projects, Structured Development has built the nearly one million-square-foot NEWCITY mixed-use complex at Clybourn Avenue and Halsted Street in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, was recently tapped to develop the final phase of Orland Park's Main Street “Triangle” property, and will soon break ground on the Shops at Big Deahl, another mixed-use development near NEWCITY whose first phase will include a Planet Granite rock-climbing gym.

District Brew Yards is part of a burgeoning brewing district located adjacent to the Fulton Market District, less than a mile northeast of the United Center and four blocks from the CTA's Ashland/Lake station. It is easily accessible via the Kennedy and Eisenhower expressways.

Instant Insights /

Structured Development and Burnt City Brewing Complete First-of-its-Kind Brewpub in Chicago's West Town

Related Stories

Recommended For You