EQ Office, the U.S. office portfolio company wholly-owned by Blackstone’s real estate funds, unveiled the transformed and renamed, 350 North Orleans. Known originally as the Apparel Center, 350 North Orleans hopes to position itself as a modern employment hub with a leading combination of amenities, neighborhood location and large floor plates where innovative, creative companies want to be.
“Work continues to evolve, and today’s leading companies are putting employees first and using their workspace as a tool to support innovation, foster community and inspire the best talent,” said David Moore, senior vice president and portfolio director at EQ Office. “350 North Orleans has a rich history and is a place where companies can leverage our unique advantages to thrive going forward.”
Designed by Partners By Design, the transformation of 350 North Orleans comes via a combination of enhancements, including a nearly $20 million investment in the building’s façade, an expansive fitness center, large tenant lounge and private roof deck and unique tenant amenity programming. Improved amenities include a 10,000-square-foot fitness space, updated dining options and a 5,000-square-foot rooftop garden deck on the third floor with expansive outdoor seating and sweeping views of the Chicago River and Chicago Loop.
Another refurbished space is River Room, an amenity lounge located near the pedway to the Merchandise Mart, which serves as a destination gathering place and communal experience for building employees. River Room also features a 1,500-square-foot conference center that seats up to 100 people, available for rent by tenants, as well as a textile art installation, designed by Luft Studio.
Blackstone acquired the iconic River North Point building in 2015. Originally built in the mid-1970s, the non-descript building was the center of Chicago’s apparel industry and host to the world’s largest collection of apparel showroom space before being turned into offices. The Chicago Sun Times moved out of the building last year, but in February, research consultancy Gartner, Inc. moved 650 employees into two floors of the building.
