People listen to a performance by Nubya Garcia on Aug. 2, 2022, at the Salt Shed, a new performance space at the former Morton Salt complex in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Adhering to Chicago tradition, Bruce Finkelman is making no small plans for the Salt Shed. The former Morton Salt complex in West Town is being transformed into a performance venue and had its first outdoor concerts this week, the first Tuesday and Fleet Foxes Wednesday. Andrew Bird and Iron & Wine are scheduled for Aug. 12.

Finkelman is the managing partner of 16″ on Center — the hospitality group behind the project — and seeks to “change how people go to concerts” with the new venue. Though many parts of the reported $50 million renovation remain months away from completion, the space on display at the soft opening suggested Finkelman’s goals are within reach. There is nothing like the Salt Shed in Chicago.

Located directly across from Goose Island and framed on the east by the North Branch of the Chicago River, the Salt Shed occupies a 4.2-acre site that’s long been a distance marker for anyone headed downtown along the Kennedy Expressway by train or car. The warehouse roof’s iconic Morton Salt sign originally caught Finkelman’s attention when he was a kid traveling in the back seat of his parent’s car. Its mystique held sway when he returned to Chicago after college and later, along with partner Craig Golden, became one of the entrepreneurs behind staples such as Thalia Hall, Revival Food Hall and the Promontory.

“I’d be going from Longman & Eagle to the Empty Bottle,” said Finkelman, who comes across with the unassuming nature of a laid-back music fan you meet while waiting in line for beer. “I would drive by the Morton space three or four times a night. I’d always think, ‘I wonder what’s in there?’ Then it became ‘I wonder if we could do a show there?’ to ‘I wonder if we could do many shows there?’”

Finkelman and Golden approached Thalia Hall — another property with landmark status — with a similar mindset before they opened it in 2013. When the Salt Shed opportunity arose five years ago, both knew they had to pursue it. For Finkelman, it represents the latest step in building music-oriented relationships that began in 1992 with the Empty Bottle.

The former Morton Salt complex opens Aug. 2, 2022, as the Salt Shed, a new music venue. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

“The idea of adaptive reuse with the Morton Salt complex was very appealing,” said Finkelman. “We wanted to turn it into something for the neighborhood and community.”

As a manufacturing complex and warehouse for salt built in the 1920s, the buildings along the river were occupied by Chicago-founded Morton Salt from their construction until 2015, and sold in 2017. Zoning for their adaptive reuse was approved last year.

The Salt Shed aims to be an everyday local destination. For the remainder of the summer, during which it will host a slate of outdoor concerts, a rotating array of area food vendors and retailers will offer everything from pizza to cocktails, records to vintage apparel. Some businesses will set up shop in nooks built into the former packinghouse; others will spread out among bars and merch tents amid a north promenade that Finkelman envisions as the equivalent of a fairground.

“A lot of people have never gone to a fair but think about it; it’s a pretty great concept with a multitude of happenings,” he said. “There should be multiple reasons to bring people together. Here, there can be a yoga class or motorcycle show or some sort of other event. It’s almost as if the show can be an afterthought, like, ‘Oh, that band’s playing here tonight? I’m going to put my bag in a locker and get tickets.’”

The Salt Shed anticipated 2,500 to 3,000 concertgoers for opening night (Makaya McCraven, Sons of Kemet and Nubya Garcia), for which it partnered with and donated $1 for every ticket sold to CIVL (The Chicago Independent Venue League), an organization of many of the area’s leading independent clubs. In addition to nearby bus, “L” and Metra service, the venue has adjacent bicycle and parking lots.

Patrons also have ticket options. General admission grants standing-room admittance to the main grounds (ADA seating is available). A costlier premium ticket includes entrance to a VIP section, access to a platform viewing area and exclusive food and drink options.

Pop-up shops at the Salt Shed music venue on its opening night Aug. 2, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

On Tuesday, a diverse crowd — children under four get in free — was already on hand when opener Garcia sounded the first notes played on the outdoor stage. Located on the south end of the complex, its proscenium is framed by the skeletal remnants of the original east shed. The saxophonist’s band could even be heard with remarkable definition at the north edge of the facility at the entrance gate. That sonic clarity, combined with a roomy layout that invited people to mingle and grab a bite to eat, inspired some attendees to sit on steps or at picnic tables. Others wandered about.

One visual in particular is impossible to miss: a panorama of the Chicago skyline. The striking perspective — and the nearer-sighted activities of kayakers and boaters making their way on the river — underscores Finkelman’s belief that Salt Shed symbolizes “the epicenter of the city.” It’s another reason he and his partners preserved every detail they could.

“Early on we could’ve scrapped it all and put up a new building,” Finkelman said. “Doing that would’ve been cheaper, easier and faster. But that’s not what we want. You pay homage to the Morton legacy. You have to see how it all fits into the history of Chicago.”

The conveyor-belt mechanisms, truck weighing scale, steel frameworks and loading areas that punctuate the exterior space hint at the architectural elements that await patrons once the interior facility opens later. On a tour, Finkelman pointed out stretches of refinished hardwood floors comprised of two-by-fours turned on their side to support crushing weights; sliding fireproof metal doors; beefy columns and beams once coated with white salt powder; the remains of an enormous Erie City Iron Works boiler complete with an intimidating cluster of fire tubes and heat-charred bricks; exposed brick walls; and soaring ceilings.

Pegged for offices, retailers, private events, a kitchen, a lobby, a possible distillery and what Finkelman hopes will be a skateboard shop with a half pipe, those areas — located in the old packinghouse — are slated to supplement the interior performance venue. In addition to giving the complex a total capacity of about 6,000 people, the under-construction space will feature elevated boxes situated on a walkable platform that will allow fans views of the inside and outdoor stages. The crowning touch? The Clubhouse, a private VIP space adorned with an east-facing glass wall and door leading to a rooftop of the packinghouse — permitting a bird’s-eye view of the outdoor stage and vistas of the city.

People arrive for a concert at the Salt Shed on opening night. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

“You can create Disneyland really quickly, but you have to let the history of the space be the interior design,” observed Finkelman. “It’s often much better than anything you can create. You have to know when to stop (redesigning).”

The Salt Shed isn’t at that point yet. Finkelman noted a craft brewery will soon take up residence in the former garage located in the fairground area. More partnerships will be announced in the future. There’s also a strong desire to do more with its location on the river. For now, organizers are zeroed in on what the Salt Shed can bring to the Chicago music scene — including the possibility of hosting festivals.

“The incredible production capabilities and size of Salt Shed will allow us to book some things we could not have done in the clubs, so it will be really exciting to push our musical boundaries a bit and welcome some audiences that may not come through our doors as frequently,” said Jake Samuels, director of music. “This summer will allow us to workshop lots of different ideas, bring in a variety of partners and find out how people interact with the space.”

Such interaction inspires Finkelman to dream big. “You rarely choose projects, but projects choose you,” he said.

The Salt Shed is at 1357 N. Elston Ave.; tickets and more information at www.saltshedchicago.com