Bell Works Chicagoland, the reimagined former AT&T corporate campus in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, has leased more than 80,000 square feet of office and retail space over the last 60 days. The nation’s second ‘metroburb’, a self-contained suburban metropolis, has welcomed nine new office and retail tenants in recent weeks, resulting in a total of 250,000 square feet leased to date.
As office assets nationwide face challenges and the overall vacancy rates reach 30-year highs, Bell Works Chicagoland’s leasing momentum continues to accelerate.
The roster of recently signed tenants spans multiple industries and adds to the robust mix of companies already based at the 1.65-million-square-foot Bell Works Chicagoland. Details on the metroburb’s newest corporate residents are below:
Cambium Networks, a leading global provider of networking solutions, has committed to relocate its headquarters to Bell Works Chicagoland, signing a long-term 35,000-square-foot lease. The newly leased space will comprise development and engineering labs on the first floor of the building while the company’s corporate offices and conference rooms will be located on the fourth floor. Construction planning is currently underway and will be completed in early 2024. Cambium Networks plans to begin its daily operations at Bell Works in March 2024.
Digital advertising agency JumpFly, a frequent collaborator with market leaders like Google, will move its 60 employees to the recently leased 11,000-square-foot space in December 2023. Like many companies in the Chicago suburbs, JumpFly President Michael Marchese became enamored with Bell Works’ array of lifestyle amenities, including the on-site gym and many diverse dining options. Since signing the lease, JumpFly employees have begun visiting the building in their free time in anticipation of the company’s upcoming move.
VIPAR Heavy Duty Inc. (VIPAR), North America’s leading network of independent aftermarket truck parts distributors and service providers, has signed a long-term 11,000-square-foot lease with Bell Works Chicagoland, relocating its global headquarters and 35 employees to Hoffman Estates. The build-out of VIPAR’s office space, including newly built-out glass interiors, is expected to be completed in August 2023.
Further positioning Bell Works as a hub of creativity and innovation, a global leader in electronic components and services has entered into a 9,000-square-foot lease agreement at the building. The company is renowned for being on the front lines of innovation for technological change in 140 countries across North America, Europe and Asia, and will be an impactful addition to the visionary energy of the metroburb.
In addition to build-to-suit office spaces, Bell Works Chicagoland recently signed more than 9,000 square feet across its Ready-To-Wear designer office suites, which feature unique, custom designs that are immediately ready to occupy and offer flexible, short-term leasing options. Of these recent leases, 4,500 square feet will be occupied by plastic and fiber products supplier Essentra Components.
The robust leasing activity is expected to pick up additional momentum as the metroburb’s on-site lifestyle amenities and retail continue to come online. This includes the opening of Fairgrounds World’s Fair and a pop-up with beloved local brewery, Church Street Brewing, among others.
Opened in June 2023, Fairgrounds World’s Fair is a 5,743-square-foot space equipped with a full-service kitchen, a fresh, seasonally-inspired food and bakery program, a cocktail bar with beer and wine on tap, and convenient grab-and-go options. It also offers Chicago-favorite Fairgrounds’ signature selection of craft coffee and tea varieties from around the globe, and an array of cold brews, lattes and sparkling beverages on tap. The café features 137 seats, as well as an outdoor patio with an additional 45 seats.
Opened July 1, 2023, Church Street Brewing transports the famous craft beer scene to Bell Works. The 1,000-square-foot pop-up brewery will allow both tenants and metroburb visitors to enjoy a refreshing brew during happy hour while boosting the shared energy of the building.
Expected to make its Chicagoland debut this fall, Swing Loose Indoor Golf will expand the recreation and entertainment-focused offerings and activities available at Bell Works. The virtual, indoor driving range brings the beauty of a well-manicured golf course inside where workers and guests can unwind over a long lunch break or after hours with fellow tenants.
To support the rapid tenant growth occurring at Bell Works, full-service retail real estate brokerage and consulting company SABRE, which oversees the retail leasing transactions at the metroburb, has recently partnered with Chicago-based real estate advisory firm SVN Chicago Commercial to assist with hyper-local retail leasing efforts.