Alma, a world-leading provider of aesthetic medical technologies and energy-based solutions for the surgical, medical aesthetics and beauty markets, opened doors today to the full ninth floor at Fulton East, a 12-story, 90,000-square-foot office and retail building at 215 N. Peoria St. in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market District developed by Parkside Realty, Inc. Additionally, Alma announced it will occupy the full ground-floor retail space in the building later this year.
Spanning 10,605 square feet, the ninth floor of Fulton East will serve as the central location for the North American operation team of Alma, while the 5,025-square-foot retail space, with frontage on Peoria Street, will house the company’s first U.S.-based Sisram Wellness Center, offering the Chicago community access to a comprehensive portfolio of innovative aesthetic and wellness services. Sisram Wellness Center is currently projected to open in early May 2023.
This expansion will include the relocation of nearly half of Alma’s corporate employees to Fulton East and accommodate the company’s continued growth and future market development plans while retaining its existing distribution operation at 485 Half Day Road in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.
As the burgeoning epicenter of business and technology in Chicago, Fulton Market was selected as the ideal location for Alma, allowing it to tap into the neighborhood’s diverse talent pool and abundant retail, restaurant and hospitality offerings, all of which have drawn leading national and international employers to what has become one of the nation’s hottest office markets.
Jonathan Metzl of Cushman & Wakefield represented Alma in the lease, while Katie Scott and Camille Julmy of Parkside Realty represented ownership.
Designed and built by Chicago-based Clayco and its architectural subsidiary, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Fulton East combines biophilic design elements with modern health technology to distinguish itself as the office building of the future. Its high-tech touchless features include the world’s first-to-market installation of MAD Elevator Inc.’s Toe-To-Go (T2G) hands-free elevator system and the first multi-story office building installation of airPHX (“air fix”) non-thermal, plasma technology, proved in hospital settings to reduce 94% to 98% of all pathogens including viruses, bacteria and mold spores, both on surfaces and in the air, to provide employees with a cleaner, safer work environment.
Each floor of Fulton East offers nearly 11,000 square feet of space, with 11-foot-4-inch floor-to-ceiling windows that flood interiors with natural light and offer unobstructed city views, as well as 9-by-27-foot private outdoor balconies on every floor. The building’s 8,000-square-foot rooftop garden terrace, reserved exclusively for tenant use, features skyline views, fire pits and a grilling station, along with easily moveable outdoor furniture to accommodate small groups for dining, collaborating or relaxing. A specially designed large-screen video wall with connectivity can be utilized for larger presentations, training sessions, sports viewing and social gatherings.
Fulton East’s innovative design has earned industry praise. The LEED-certified building won the 2021 Illinois Real Estate Journal awards for Best Office Project and Best Technology Pivot and was a finalist for the annual Chicagoland Real Estate Awards for both Development and Developer of the Year. Also in 2021, the building was featured at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Fall Meeting as a groundbreaking model for future office design; recognized by Forbes as one of the first office buildings designed for the post-COVID-19 environment; and recently earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), an evidence-based, third-party certification of best practices in building operation and management for mitigating illnesses, enhancing employee productivity and improving overall building wellness.
Designed with rich tones and earthy materials by nationally acclaimed interior designer Holly Hunt, Fulton East’s lobby serves as a warm welcome to tenants of the boutique building. It includes an iconic light fixture by renowned product designer David Weeks, as well as a dramatic reception desk featuring Anorthosite stone from Quebec that was fabricated by Chicago-based GI Stone. Meanwhile, the building’s exterior features the nation’s most prominent installation of Prodema, a natural, sustainable and weatherproof wood cladding, in a modern design tribute to Fulton Market’s many historic, landmarked timber and brick building exteriors.
Fulton East, home to Calamos Investments and global flooring design firm Tarkett, sits directly across from the global headquarters of Mondelēz. The surrounding Fulton Market neighborhood also is home to McDonald’s corporate headquarters; Kimberly-Clark’s North American Commercial Center; tech campuses for Google, Glassdoor and Dyson; showrooms and offices for leading design firms Knoll, Herman Miller, Allsteel, Teknion and others; and prominent advertising, professional and financial services firms. Many of the city’s most popular hotels, restaurants, cafes and retailers are within a five-minute walk of the building, which also offers easy access to public transit.
