Uber confirms 450,000-SF office lease at Old Post Office

Rideshare firm Uber has confirmed earlier reports and will lease 450,000 square feet in Chicago’s Old Post Office. It’s the largest of numerous leases in the redeveloping property and will be the tech firm’s biggest office outside of its San Francisco headquarters. Uber plans to move in by January 2020.

New-York-based 601W Companies is in the midst of an $800 million renovation on the 2.8 million-square-foot, Art Deco building, with the first tenants scheduled to move in next month. Steve Smith, Jamey Dix and Daniel Heckman of The Telos Group are the brokerage team tasked with bringing tenants to the rejuvenated property. Paul Reaumond, executive vice president, and Ian Murphy, director, in CBRE’s occupier advisory and transaction services group represented Uber in the transaction.

“Uber is excited to deepen its roots in Chicago,” said Uber spokeswoman, Kelley Quinn, in a statement. “The city continues to attract the top talent that Uber needs to continue to thrive, and we remain committed to working together to have a positive impact in the local community. This is just the first of several announcements to be made in the coming weeks that we look forward to sharing with the people of Chicago.”

Firms that have confirmed leases in the building include Cboe, Walgreens, Ferrara Candy, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, AbelsonTaylor and Kroger subsidiaries Home Chef and 84.51°. 601W Companies acquired the iconic property in 2016 and tapped architecture firm Gensler to draw up a vision for the building’s second life, including the addition of a food hall, a new riverwalk and a 3.5-acre, tenant-accessible rooftop.

Uber now occupies around 185,000 square feet between spaces in 225 W. Randolph Street in the Loop, 111 N. Canal Street in the West Loop and 370 N. Carpenter Street in Fulton Market.