Photo credit: Max Chavez / Preservation Chicago & Frankie Knuckles Foundation
House music changed the world. And it all began at the Warehouse, where DJ Frankie Knuckles created house music.
Before it’s too late, we must urgently recognize, protect and celebrate the three-story industrial building at 206 S. Jefferson Street in Chicago’s West Loop.
Despite its extraordinary role in music and cultural history, the Warehouse has ZERO protections against alterations or demolition.
When the building sold in December 2022, the listing mentioned both its music history, and the potential for demolition and new development. Teardowns of vintage industrial buildings in the West Loop for new construction have been occurring at a rapid pace.
Despite persistent outreach by Preservation Chicago, the new ownership has been unresponsive, and plans for the building’s future remain unknown.
There is simply too much at stake to allow the whim of an owner to determine its fate.
The City of Chicago must act now to take proactive steps to protect this building of immense cultural significance by designating it a Chicago Landmark.
The Warehouse opened in 1977 with DJ Frankie Knuckles and a state-of-the art sound system per the vision of owner Robert Williams to convert an old industrial building into a vibrant nightclub creating dancefloor freedom for Chicago’s Black gay community.
Drawn to this unlikely destination by the power of the music, The Warehouse became a beloved spot beyond Chicago’s Black gay community, inclusive of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community and a wide range of Chicagoans across the city and from every background.
With Knuckles behind the turntables, word began to spread that the Warehouse was the place in Chicago to hear a new type of music, one that forged a harmony between soul, R&B, disco, electronic, and gospel.
Music from the Warehouse, soon became known as “house music.”
Love for this new style of music overflowed the brick walls of 206 S. Jefferson Street. Knuckles’s remixes were shared across Chicago by cassette recordings, and before long, the love of house music had spread across the globe.
But even as the world of house music has expanded and thrived for half a century, beyond the devoted fans, the place where it all began, this mecca of house music, has been largely been overlooked and forgotten.
Despite its extraordinary significant place in music and cultural history, the Warehouse has ZERO protections against alteration or demolition.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the West Loop was a tired and underutilized warehouse district. But today, the demolition of vintage buildings for new construction is common.
The Warehouse sold in December 2022, but plans for the building’s future still remain unknown. Despite persistent outreach by Preservation Chicago, the new ownership has been unresponsive.
There is simply too much at stake to allow the whim of an owner to determine its fate.
Preservation Chicago urges the City of Chicago to take immediate action to recognize and protect the three-story industrial building at 206 S. Jefferson Street in Chicago’s West Loop where DJ Frankie Knuckles created house music by designating it a Chicago Landmark.
The Warehouse should be protected as a symbol of the rich history of Chicago’s gay and Black communities, the incredible story of house music, and the groundbreaking impact that DJ Frankie Knuckles had on the sound of modern music across the world.
A Chicago Landmark Designation would fully protect the Warehouse against demolition and inappropriate alteration.
These walls have a story to tell. And we all should be able to experience first-hand that very place where DJ Frankie Knuckles created house music and changed the world.
PLEASE sign the petition and share it widely.
And if you're interested in learning more, contacting us, or supporting the organization that is leading this effort, please check out Preservation Chicago's website.
The ‘Birthplace’ of House Music is on Its Way to Becoming a Chicago Landmark; Patty Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 4/13/23
Chicago’s legendary nightclub “The Warehouse” was granted preliminary landmark status. Interview with Max Chavez, Preservation Chicago Director of Research and Special Projects. The Week, Telekom Electronic Beats Podcast (11 min) on Spotify
Chicago’s legendary nightclub “The Warehouse” was granted preliminary landmark status. Interview with Max Chavez, Preservation Chicago Director of Research and Special Projects. The Week, Telekom Electronic Beats Podcast (11 min) on Apple Podcasts
The Warehouse, Birthplace Of House Music, Takes Key Step Toward Becoming A Chicago Landmark; The three-story industrial building once housed a dance club that featured the legendary DJ Frankie Knuckles. Owners Thursday said they have no plans to demolish the building, Melody Mercado, Block Club Chicago, 4/13/23
Petition in works to gain landmark status for site where DJ legend Frankie Knuckles made ‘house music’ popular, Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 4/8/23
425 of pages of comments in support of landmarking the Warehouse submitted for the Commission on Chicago Landmarks hearing
CBS Interview: The Warehouse in West Loop is one step closer to becoming a Chicago landmark, Mikayla Price, CBS Chicago, 4/14/23
The Warehouse gets preliminary landmark, The site was the birthplace of House music, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 4/19/23
'Birthplace' of house music to become a Chicago landmark, Andrew Davis, Windy City Times, 4/19/23
Chicago & House Music: A relationship over four decades in the making, Peter Curi, WGN 9 Chicago, 4/14/23
Chicago Officials Vote to Grant Legendary Venue the Warehouse Landmark Protection; All seven Commission panel members voted in favour of proposals put forward in a petition last month, which would save building from demolition, Isaac Muk, MixMag, 4/14/23
Campaigners have been fighting to prevent the building's demolition. Anu Shukla, Resident Advisor, 4/13/23
The Warehouse OK’d for preliminary landmark status, It was unanimous and if everything goes right The Warehouse will soon have landmark status in the city of Chicago..., Terry Matthew, 5 Magazine, 4/14/23
The Warehouse, legendary former West Loop dance hall, granted preliminary landmark recommendation, Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 4/13/23
The Warehouse, a Preservation Chicago 2023 Chicago 7 Most Endangered
Birthplace of house music, could be demolished in Chicago's West Loop, Marissa Perlman, CBS 2 Chicago, 3/21/23
Effort Underway to Designate Former ‘Warehouse' Nightclub a Chicago Historical Landmark; The site is where famed DJ and producer Frankie Knuckles is widely credited with creating the House music genre, Kate Chappell, NBC 5 Chicago, 3/21/23
Preservation Chicago names The Warehouse, the birthplace of house music, as one of the most endangered buildings in Chicago, Zach Mortice, The Architect’s Newspaper, 3/21/23
'We must do something': Chicago building once home to The Warehouse at risk of demolition, Anu Shukla, Resident Advisor, 3/17/23
Petition launched to save “birthplace of house music”, The Warehouse; "Despite its extraordinary role in music and cultural history, the Warehouse has ZERO protections against alterations or demolition", Arusa Qureshi, NME, 3/16/23
Save The Warehouse! petition launched to protect birthplace of house music; The now-closed club was where Frankie Knuckles pioneered the development of house music as a resident, Christian Eede, DJ Magazine, 3/15/23
Petition Launched to Save Birthplace of House Music, Chicago Nightclub, The Warehouse; Save The Warehouse! aims to protect the nightclub where Frankie Knuckles established the genre, Becky Buckle, Mix Mag, 3/16/23
The Warehouse: The place house music got its name, Jacob Arnold, Resident Advisor, 5/16/12
What Was It Like To Dance At The Warehouse Club In Chicago? Olivia Richardson, WBEZ Chicago, 1/12/19
