2025 Lerch Bates
People's Choice Awards Finalists

Journeyman Distillery at the American Factory reimagines the century-old ANCO industrial complex as a vibrant destination for dining, events, gathering and distillery production. Through adaptive reuse and thoughtful presentation, the design honors the site's manufacturing legacy while activating a dormant eyesore as a place of craft, culture and economic opportunity, including incorporation of a transit center for the ChicaGO DASH bus, providing daily connections to downtown Chicago and expanding access to jobs, tourism and regional connection. The American Factory fosters pride, resilience and inclusive growth — a model of sustainable transformation rooted in place and purpose.