Since 2016, nearly 100,000 man-hours have been invested in the Old Chicago Main Post Office to prep the building and the site for its planned redevelopment. 200 construction workers from 27 construction-related firms have been on site and removed an estimated 20 million pounds of debris. Now, 601W Companies and Gensler have revealed detailed plans for the redevelopment.
The plan is to position the building as “a world-class development for the future of business and commerce,” according to a press release. The redevelopment spans 2.8 million sf across three city blocks and five acres, making it the largest redevelopment project in the country.
Festival Hall. Rendering courtesy of ©601w Companies | Gensler.
Over $600 million is being invested in the building, which will feature a large-scale festival food market that spills outside to a riverfront plaza, 250,000-sf floorplates with ceiling heights of 19 feet for use as office space, and a roof that will include over three acres of park space with cafes, sports courts, and a quarter-mile running trail. The estimated 15,000 tenants will also make use of over 80,000 sf of tenant amenities, including a fitness center, conference space, and lounge and entertainment space.
The fitness center. Rendering courtesy of ©601w Companies | Gensler.
Many of the original details of the building are being restored or retained as part of the redevelopment. The Post Master’s office, mail chutes and scales, the limestone exterior, and the Historic Lobby on Van Buren will all be carried through to the redesigned building.
“We intend to honor The Post Office’s past, bringing to life a vision that preserves the art deco design and history of the building while making way for progressive elements and updates that will resonate with the workforce of today and tomorrow,” says Brian Whiting, President of The Telos Group, which oversees strategic positioning and leasing of the office space, in a release.
The Northeast Plaza. Rendering courtesy of ©601w Companies | Gensler.
Leasing for the property is currently underway with an anticipated completion date set for early 2019. Future tenants will be able to begin building out space in 2018.
A bocce court and pool tables on the second floor. Rendering courtesy of ©601w Companies | Gensler.
Library. Rendering courtesy of ©601w Companies | Gensler.
Harrison Street South Lobby. Rendering courtesy of ©601w Companies | Gensler.
Related Stories
| Jan 16, 2012
Mid-Continent Tower wins 25 Year Award from AIA Eastern Oklahoma
Designed by Dewberry, iconic tower defines Tulsa’s skyline.
| Jan 15, 2012
Hollister Construction Services oversees interior office fit-out for Harding Loevner
The work includes constructing open space areas, new conference, trading and training rooms, along with multiple kitchenettes.
| Jan 15, 2012
Smith Consulting Architects designs Flower Hill Promenade expansion in Del Mar, Calif.
The $22 million expansion includes a 75,000-square-foot, two-story retail/office building and a 397-car parking structure, along with parking and circulation improvements and new landscaping throughout.
| Jan 12, 2012
CSHQA receives AIA Northwest & Pacific Region Merit Award for Idaho State Capitol restoration
After a century of service, use, and countless modifications which eroded the historical character of the building and grounds, the restoration brought the 200,000-sf building back to its former grandeur by restoring historical elements, preserving existing materials, and rehabilitating spaces for contemporary uses.
| Jan 6, 2012
Summit Design+Build completes Park Place in Illinois
Summit was responsible for the complete gut and renovation of the former auto repair shop which required the partial demolition of the existing building, while maintaining the integrity of the original 100 year-old structure, and significant re-grading and landscaping of the site.
| Jan 4, 2012
Shawmut Design & Construction awarded dorm renovations at Brown University
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2012, and will be completed by December 2012.
| Jan 3, 2012
The Value of Historic Paint Investigations
An expert conservator provides a three-step approach to determining a historic building’s “period of significance”—and how to restore its painted surfaces to the correct patterns and colors.
| Jan 3, 2012
28th Annual Reconstruction Awards: Bringing Hope to Cancer Patients
A gothic-style structure is reconstructed into comfortable, modern patient residence facility for the American Cancer Society.
| Jan 3, 2012
Rental Renaissance, The Rebirth of the Apartment Market
Across much of the U.S., apartment rents are rising, vacancy rates are falling. In just about every major urban area, new multifamily rental projects and major renovations are coming online. It may be too soon to pronounce the rental market fully recovered, but the trend is promising.
