Printers Row Pest Control & Wildlife Removal

Pest Control in Printers Row, Chicago

Printers Row is a compact stretch of Dearborn Street and its neighboring blocks between Ida B. Wells Drive and Polk Street, anchored at the south end by the 1885 Dearborn Station. From the 1880s through the early 1900s, tall masonry buildings here held printing presses, binderies and type foundries. When the trade moved away, the buildings were converted into loft condominiums starting in the late 1970s, creating one of downtown Chicago's first residential revivals. Those conversions left behind heavy timber, freight shafts, deep basements and generations of utility work. German cockroaches, mice and moisture-loving silverfish take advantage of that complexity, while pigeons settle on ornate facades. Local providers who work in the district understand how these vintage structures connect.

Vintage printing lofts and the pests hidden in their walls

Buildings in the Printing House Row District were built to carry heavy presses, with thick brick walls, timber or steel frames and shafts that moved paper between floors. Converting them to homes added kitchens and bathrooms along paths the original designers never planned. The resulting pipe chases, soffits and gaps are perfect cockroach highways. German cockroaches hide near dishwashers and under cabinets, then move through walls to neighboring units. Mice travel the same routes, especially in fall. Treating a single loft helps, but coordinated inspections of adjoining units and common basements usually deliver more lasting control.

Damp basements and silverfish in Printers Row storage

Many Printers Row buildings have deep basements that hold storage lockers, laundry rooms and mechanical equipment. Humidity collects there, especially in summer, and silverfish thrive on paper, cardboard boxes and glue from old books. It is a fitting pest for a neighborhood built on printing. House centipedes follow them, since they feed on silverfish and other small insects. Using plastic bins instead of cardboard, running a dehumidifier and keeping lockers tidy all help. A pest pro can treat cracks and voids where these insects hide and identify moisture issues worth fixing.

Dearborn Station, pigeons and the rats of nearby lots

Dearborn Station's clock tower and the carved cornices along Dearborn Street attract pigeons that roost high and leave droppings on window sills and entryways below. Balconies on converted lofts and newer buildings nearby get the same attention. Down at ground level, Norway rats live in the alleys between Dearborn, Federal and Plymouth Court, and they are drawn by garbage areas and planters. Rodent-proof containers, sealed door sweeps and exterior bait stations help keep them out of lobbies and basements. Bird control specialists can install ledge deterrents that suit historic facades.

Areas served in Printers Row: Dearborn Street, Dearborn Station, Plymouth Court, Federal Street, Polk Street, Ida B. Wells Drive.