Freedom Center (Chicago)
Freedom Center, also known as the Chicago Tribune Publishing Center, is the printing plant and headquarters for the Chicago Tribune, as well as the printing facility for other publications such as the Chicago Sun-Times.
Freedom Center
Chicago Tribune Publishing Center
777 W. Chicago Ave, Chicago IL, 60654
September 1979
September 1982
$185,000,000
659,000 sq ft
Skidmore Owings & Merrill
History[edit]
Development and construction[edit]
On June 20, 1979, the Chicago Tribune announced plans for a $150 million printing plant, to replace their former printing facility at Tribune Tower. The site was to be located in the River North district, right off of the Chicago River. Architecture firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill designed the building. The Tribune acquired the 21-acre land in 1967. The goal of completion at the beginning of the project was the fall of 1982. The building would be 697,000 sq ft, and contain 10 Goss Metroliner offset presses, with space for two more. The presses could run 75,000 papers per hour, versus 60,000 at Tribune Tower. The maximum issue would also be 144 pages an issue, versus 112 at Tribune Tower. Ground was broken on the building in September 1979.[1][2][3]
Current uses[edit]
Freedom Center is currently used as the headquarters and office location of the Chicago Tribune. They also print the newspapers for the Chicago Tribune there, along with other publications who rent out space. Freedom Center has a Union Pacific rail spur connected to it, which is used for newsprint delivery to the factory. Along with printing the Chicago Tribune, the press also prints the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Reader, The New York Times and other publications. In 2020, when the Tribune's finances were last public, they made about 9.9% of their revenue from printing and distribution of third-party publications.[8]