EQ Office announced that Affirm, Inc. will be opening its first Chicago office at 350 North Orleans Street. The fintech company signed an office lease for more than 57,000 square feet, spanning two floors, which they plan to move into in Spring 2020.
Chicago’s technology industry is growing at a rapid pace. According to CBRE’s annual Tech-30 Report, the city added 4,582 tech jobs in 2017 and 2018. This, along with Chicago’s access to diverse talent and central location in the country, was one of the many reasons Affirm—a San Francisco-based technology company offering a more transparent and responsible way for users to split payments at top retailers—chose to expand to Chicago. Affirm plans to rapidly hire 100 new employees for its 350 North Orleans office, with additional growth plans above and beyond.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Affirm to the building and city of Chicago,” said David Moore, senior vice president and portfolio director at EQ Office. “We worked closely with the Affirm team to identify creative solutions to support their growth needs. 350 N. Orleans’ recent enhancements and ideal neighborhood location make it a magnet for innovative companies of all sizes, and the highly functional floorplates with abundant natural light will set Affirm up for success in attracting and retaining top tech talent.”
Affirm is the latest of several tech companies establishing a presence at 350 North Orleans, including Nitel, Shoprunner, Gartner, OPEX Analytics and Devbridge Group, further establishing the building as a new tech hub in Chicago’s River North neighborhood and the preferred home for leading, creative companies. The building was recently transformed through a combination of enhancements, including a nearly $20 million investment in the façade, an expansive fitness center, large tenant lounge and private roof deck and unique tenant amenity programming.
“We’re excited to establish our Chicago presence at 350 North Orleans and bring on new talent to help us grow Affirm’s network of merchants and consumers,” said Russell Kamp, real estate manager at Affirm.
The Chicago space will be Affirm’s fourth office, along with San Francisco, New York and Pittsburgh.
