On a long-industrial stretch of Western Avenue in Back of the Yards, Brookfield Properties and city leaders have kicked off construction on Western Works, a four-building industrial campus at 4435 S. Western that will take over the shuttered Wheatland Tubing complex. The speculative project is slated to span roughly 568,000 to 569,000 square feet, with individual buildings ranging from about 75,000 to 198,000 square feet, and plans call for 87 dock doors and 635 parking stalls. Developers say the campus is targeting a 2027 delivery and is expected to support a mix of construction jobs and permanent roles in manufacturing, food production, warehousing, and distribution.
The deal is buoyed by a Cook County Class 6(b) property tax incentive that reduces assessment rates for qualifying industrial projects for 12 years, an arrangement that Urbanize Chicago reports is estimated to cut about $7.2 million from development costs. The Class 6(b) program is meant to encourage the rehabilitation or re-use of abandoned industrial property by trimming assessed values in tiered percentages over the life of the incentive, according to the Cook County Assessor.
Developer materials peg Western Works at roughly $100 million, while the Chicago Sun-Times has reported a $104 million price tag and noted that the city expects about 150 construction jobs and 100 permanent full-time positions. Brookfield acquired the 28-acre site from Wheatland Tube in 2021 for about $24.4 million, according to The Real Deal, and demolition of the old buildings wrapped up before earthwork began.
Design and specs
Designed by Nelson, the new campus is planned with 32-foot clear heights, divisible floorplates down to roughly 35,000 square feet, and about 568,689 rentable square feet in total, according to the Western Works project site. ARCO/Murray is listed as the general contractor, and city permits for the new buildings have been issued, Urbanize Chicago reports. Brookfield also says brick facades are planned so that the buildings better match the character of Western Boulevard.
History of the site
The property previously housed Wheatland Tubing, which closed in 2024, closing the book on a long industrial chapter along Western Boulevard. Mayor Brandon Johnson called the groundbreaking "another signal that investments are happening in this great city," and Ald. Julia Ramirez, who lives across the boulevard, said the corridor's industrial roots are a neighborhood strength, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Why it matters
Western Works is arriving at a moment when the broader Chicago industrial market remains tight, particularly for large users that want infill sites close to intermodal connections. Recent figures from CBRE's Q1 2026 data show availability rates under 10 percent, which helps explain why developers are chasing centrally located logistics projects on the South Side.
With demolition complete and earthwork underway, Brookfield says preleasing has started, and construction is moving toward that 2027 completion date. Leasing contacts are listed on the project site for prospective tenants, and we will be watching for tenant announcements, permitting updates, and any changes to tax incentive approvals as the campus moves from dirt to delivery.
