The James R. Thompson Center on May 6, 2024. (WTTW News)
Local officials on Monday touted the start of construction on the redevelopment of the iconic James R. Thompson Center in the heart of downtown, which will serve as a new headquarters for Google in Chicago.
Elected officials and developers gathered at the Thompson Center to help mark the start of Google’s $280 million makeover of the former state government building.
“With the Thompson Center we saw a chance to revitalize the Loop, but also take this iconic building that some thought of tearing down, and instead, make the renovations necessary to respectfully steward it into the 21st century,” said Google Chicago site lead Karen Sauder during a news conference at the Thompson Center.
The renovations include upgrading the building to all-electric, a bird-friendly design, adding new gathering and green space, and expanding the ground floor atrium for the public, who will continue to have access to the Clark and Lake CTA station, Sauder said.
The building, designed by the late architect Helmut Jahn, was met with fanfare and mixed critical reception when it opened in 1985. The postmodern building is known for its distinctive red-and-blue accented steel frame and grand atrium.
Google bought the building from the state of Illinois for $105 million in 2022, following years of limbo over the future of the 1.2-million-square-foot structure, which racked up a $325 million bill for deferred maintenance.
“All the floors in this building never were segregated from the atrium, so you could hear people speak down here, you could smell the food court in the morning or in the afternoon,” said developer Michael Reschke during the news conference. “It was a constant problem for heating, cooling, odor and noise control.”
Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]
