Chicago Murals Among Final Touches for Cold Storage Warehouse
Published June 22, 2025
By Justin Kerr
Twelve murals depicting classic Chicago and South Side scenes are quickly appearing under the hand of artist David Banegas, commissioned to add his original artwork to the Karis Cold Stockyards warehouse at 3815 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago.
The warehouse, a first-of-its-kind facility within the City of Chicago, will soon offer massive storage for cold and frozen food in its nearly 100,000 square foot insulated building alongside docks, stalls and parking for autos and trucks.
Executives, officials and contractors break ground on October 18, 2024, at the Karis Cold Stockyards site.Karis Cold's facility is significantly upgraded from traditional cold storage warehouses, "like comparing the foam coolers of the 80s to the Yeti coolers of today," said Ken Verne, vice president of assets at Karis Cold. He joined executives, contractors and officials at the facility's groundbreaking on October 18, 2024.
The warehouse replaces the long-abandoned and derelict former Continental Can Company building at the site, one of the businesses of the historic Original East District of the Central Manufacturing District.
"We couldn't be happier to have that old eyesore down," 11th Ward Alderwoman Nicole Lee said at the groundbreaking.
An illustration from the Karis Cold Stockyards brochure displays the site's layout.Banegas said he worked with Karis executives and through a City of Chicago approval process for his mural designs, which depict Chicago sites like the Water Tower, the Art Institute of Chicago and the White Sox scoreboard.
A depiction of the brick tower of the Continental Can Company building occupies the exact spot of the former structure. "Paying homage to that was a specific request," Verne said.
