Salt Shed team files rezoning for riverfront amphitheater site

A rezoning ordinance for 1401-1459 N Magnolia Ave, the riverfront lot where the Salt Shed team wants a sister amphitheater, went to City Council on Oct. 14. City Clerk record O2026-0029361, application 23181, now sits in the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards.

Why it matters

The filing turns a reported idea into a pending city case that West Town builders and brokers can track. Blue Star Properties, which converted the old Morton Salt complex into the Salt Shed, is working on the plan with operator 16“ on Center, according to Block Club Chicago and WBEZ. The lot sits across Magnolia from the existing venue on the North Branch of the Chicago River. A second outdoor venue would deepen the entertainment corridor along that stretch of Chicago’s riverfront.

The numbers

ON THE RECORD: The ordinance covers the full 1401-1459 block of N Magnolia Ave under Zoning Map No. 3-G. It was introduced on Oct. 14, 2026, and is listed as referred to committee, with no committee vote recorded. City building permit data shows no permit issued anywhere on that block as of Oct. 26.

Managing partner Bruce Finkelman put the cost at $60 million to $70 million and said city subsidies could be part of the funding, Block Club Chicago reported Oct. 20. Block Club’s headline cited a capacity of up to 15,000 people. The team does not yet own the site, according to WBEZ.

What’s next

The rezoning is proposed, not approved. It needs a vote in the zoning committee and then by the full City Council. Because the site is on the river, the plan may also need Chicago Plan Commission review, and no hearing has been scheduled. Finkelman called the filing an early feasibility step rather than a committed project.