Advertising agency DraftFCB has agreed to lease about 185,000 square feet at the John Hancock Center, marking the third largest downtown office lease this year.
Melanie Perez, corporate communications manager for DraftFCB, said the agency was attracted to the Hancock Center’s large floor space.
“What we were really interested in was the space and being able to build it out in a way that allows our teams to collaborate and have that open environment,” Perez said. “It creates an environment for creativity both in terms of technology and design.
“It also allows us to consolidate our nearly 1,000 employees into one building because currently they’re working out of two locations.”
DraftFCB currently leases about 185,000 square feet at its headquarters at 101 E. Erie St. where it occupies 10 floors. The move to the Hancock Center will take up five floors. The agency also will move workers from an 80,000-square-foot space at 633 N. St. Clair St.
The move to the Hancock Center will accommodate Draft FCB’s 1,000 workers in addition to ID Media and Rivet, which are owned by the agency’s New York-based parent, Interpublic Group of Cos.
The agency plans to move to its new headquarters at the tower, 875 N. Michigan Ave., in March of 2014, according to Perez.
“Part of our plan is for the building architects to survey employees and integrate their feedback into our final design,” she said.
Completed in 1970, the Hancock Center features 897,000 square feet of Class A commercial office space, 172,000 square feet of retailers, 700 privately owned luxury residential condominiums and a 714-car public parking garage.
DraftFCB’s lease at the Hancock Center will be the third new large downtown lease this year. The move by the agency comes after Google Inc. agreed to move Motorola Mobility to 572,000 square feet at the Merchandise Mart and Hillshire Brands Co.’s move to 221,089 square feet at 400 S. Jefferson.
