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A New York company called Gotham Greens has built what its owners claim is the largest rooftop greenhouse in the world on Chicago’s far South Side.
The company already has three smaller rooftop greenhouses in New York City — two in Brooklyn and another in Queens. One of those is on top of a Whole Foods and provides fresh lettuce and other greens for the store.
But this Chicago facility takes the concept to a whole new level. The massive greenhouse, which opened in October, is 75,000-square-feet. It rests atop a factory where Method brand soap is made.
The company’s co-founders say they plan to continue to expand their facilities and develop a niche market with restaurants and grocery stores that want the freshest perishable greens.
Gotham Greens CEO Viraj Puri says most lettuce comes thousands of miles away from California and Mexico and is often a week old by the time it arrives in the Midwest and East Coast.
But while some other indoor farms in the Midwest have struggled due to energy costs, he says using the sun and heat from buildings below — among other methods — will make his business sustainable and profitable.

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Giant Rooftop Greenhouse Sprouts in Chicago