Somerset Development, one of the real estate industry’s foremost innovators in large-scale, mixed-use redevelopments, today announced it has signed a lease with Headline Solar at Bell Works Chicagoland— the second long-term lease at the former AT&T campus in Hoffman Estates reimagined as a modern metroburb.
Headline Solar will make the Bell Works location its national headquarters, occupying 15,690 square feet of custom office space at Bell Works Chicagoland, with another 15,000 square feet available for potential expansion. The lease agreement comes in the wake of a new energy bill recently passed by the Illinois Legislature and signed by Governor JB Pritzker that will reinvigorate the State’s solar power efforts.
“The incredible momentum we’re seeing at Bell Works Chicagoland further reinforces the demand for collaborative, thoughtfully-designed, modern office space, which not only reunites people physically, but inspires them to create, ideate, innovate and succeed,” said Ralph Zucker, President and CEO of Somerset Development. “As we witness the Metroburb continue to blossom, we’re thrilled to welcome Headline Solar to our growing office community, which not only enhances work life, but serves as part of a vibrant, active environment emblematic of a thriving downtown.”
Founded in 2019, Headline Solar quickly became one of Illinois’ fastest growing solar panel installation providers for both residential and commercial buildings. The recently passed legislation provides additional funds to incentivize solar energy usage and will create thousands of new jobs within the industry.
“We started Headline Solar in Illinois because we knew this would be a strategic location for our nationwide growth, and the high-quality office space at Bell Works is the right environment for our company, our culture and our vision for the future,” said Jared McKenzie, co-founder and CEO. “Everyone from our executive team to Customer Care and Inside Operations will headquarter here to support our growing business.”
Headline Solar currently operates in Texas as well as Illinois and will expand to Virginia, Florida and the Carolinas by 2023. The company will officially move-in to its new office space in Q1 2022.
Earlier this summer, Somerset Development announced Platinum Home Mortgage (‘PHMC’) signed a long-term lease to join the office community at Bell Works Chicagoland. The company will occupy 22,000-square feet spread across three dedicated office spaces at the Metroburb. Headline Solar and PHMC join a growing list of office tenants including CPA Advisors Group, a boutique full-service accounting firm; Mosquito Hunters, a locally-owned residential and commercial mosquito control company; and The Next Unicorn, an equity crowdfunding firm.
Recently, Somerset Development also celebrated the grand opening of coLab at Bell Works Chicagoland, the official coworking membership experience at the property. Spread across 15,000 square feet, the new coworking facility offers flexible lease terms and workspaces, including access to dedicated conference and meeting rooms, lounges, and state-of-the-art amenities. All members of coLab qualify for the tenant membership rate at FitLab.
The metroburb additionally features 60,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant space, which will provide both members and visitors alike with an eclectic mix of dining and entertainment options. Local Chicago favorite Fairgrounds Craft Coffee and Tea also opened at the campus earlier this year.
Somerset Development continues to build on the resounding success of the first Bell Works concept in Holmdel, N.J., where it has transformed a two-million-square-foot former Bell Labs headquarters into a first-of-its-kind ecosystem of offices, shops, dining, event space, hospitality, and community resources.
