Salerno Cookie Factory


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Salerno Cookie Factory
Posted by: chipandkathy (---.hsd1.ga.comcast.net)
Date: July 24, 2015 10:01PM

So the buzz is they are demolishing the Salerno Cookie Factory on Division Street. My question is when was the building constructed and is it REALLY historic? I loved the cookies, but going crazy over a factory building that I am guessing was built in the last 100 years is a little over the top. Thoughts? Comments?

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Re: Salerno Cookie Factory
Posted by: Jeff_Weiner (---.sub-70-194-64.myvzw.com)
Date: July 24, 2015 10:35PM

If the building can be put to good use, and still show it's heritage, then that is worth doing. But not every building can be saved.

Full disclosure: I hate Salerno Butter Cookies.

I was fed too many of them as a child, and developed a distaste. Same thing with Oreos.

YMMv.

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Re: Salerno Cookie Factory
Posted by: SWEDE (---.lightspeed.iplsin.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 25, 2015 12:18AM

My uncle worked for Salerno as a salesman. He always had cookies around the house. Butter cookies was my favorite growing up in the 50's. You could hold the cookie on your finger and eat around it LOL.

We had our Nabisco Cookie factory on the Southside. I remember that delicious smell when we hung around Marquette Park.

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Re: Salerno Cookie Factory
Posted by: 222psm (---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: July 25, 2015 09:47AM

A friend of my dad worked at this factory back in the 70's and us kids would love when he came over to visit, he always had shopping bags full of cookies. and not just the butter ones. It's a shame though that these beautiful art deco can't be converted to another use, but I guess they all can't be saved since some are in crappy areas or are to far gone to save.

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Re: Salerno Cookie Factory
Posted by: PKDickman (---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 25, 2015 01:01PM

It's more than buzz, the factory was pretty much gone when I drove by it Thurts morning.

It was a handsome art deco building designed by Harold Zook (Pickwick Theater, Park Ridge) around 1935.

It was rated "Orange" in the historical resources survey. Although it was not made a city landmark, this should have instituted a 90 day delay on demolition permits

The real buzz is that it was fast tracked through the process in 9 days (including the 4th of July weekend).

I'm not sure how or why. The building inspections don't show any serious structural issues.

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Re: Salerno Cookie Factory
Posted by: b.a.hoarder (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 25, 2015 01:15PM

Sounds as though the fix was in, someone that has a guy who knows a guy wanted that parcel for another purpose.

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Re: Salerno Cookie Factory
Posted by: chipandkathy (---.hsd1.ga.comcast.net)
Date: July 25, 2015 01:17PM

Thanks for the info since I don't live in Chicago anymore. After what they did to Meigs Field, this doesn't surprise me. Swede, I remember putting the butter cookies on my finger to eat that way...nice memory!

My 2 cents is that a building constructed in 1935 is not really historic, although I love Art Deco. Let's just hope the site is put to a good use as the economy could use some new life.

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