On Wednesday, October 10th, CREW Chicago hosted a luncheon on “Mega Redevelopments—Breathing New Life Into Old Icons” at the East Bank Club. Speakers included Michael Townsend and Sheryl Schulze from Gensler, Brian Whiting and Joy Jordan from The Telos Group, LLC and Linda Kanoski from OKW Architects.
Willis Tower and the Old Chicago Main Post Office are two of Chicago’s most recognizable buildings, each distinctive in features and rich in history. Now, both are undergoing massive redevelopment projects that will breathe new life into these architectural icons.
Equity Office, the the Blackstone Group-owned management firm overseeing the Willis Tower, has undertaken a $500 million renovation of the skydeck, lobby and streetscape scheduled for a summer 2019 completion. The new renovations aim to add 300,000 square feet of new retail, entertainment space and both five-star and casual restaurants. A winter garden will cap the lobby with an undulating, glass atrium and a 30,000-square-foot public outdoor space.
A few blocks away, New York-based investment firm 601W Cos. is currently overhauling Chicago’s Old Main Post Office. The 2.8 million-square-foot building straddling Congress Parkway should see new tenants move in next spring, including Walgreens, which has committed to taking on 200,000 square feet of office space. The redesign for the Art Deco behemoth is being handled by Gensler, with Telos handling leasing of the space.
