Office renovation and addition lands permits at 550 W. Randolph

Permits have been issued for an office renovation and addition project at 550 West Randolph Street in West Loop Gate. The existing warehouse building is located at the corner of W Randolph Street and N Clinton Street. W.P. Carey is the developer in charge of the project. 

With a design by Gensler, the development proposes to convert a turn-of-the-century brick and heavy timber warehouse into a bold and contemporary office building. Built in 1909, the timber-framed masonry warehouse was originally built as a central distribution center for McKesson & Robbins, a wholesale apothecary, elixir and drug distributor. The revamped and expanded six-story building will span 227,500 square feet, with large, efficient, and flexible floor plates nearing 39,500 feet each. The structure will include LEED Gold sustainable design features and tenant amenities.

The proposal will reinvigorate the historic building, restoring the original façade and creating a contemporary addition with highly tailored details both inside and out. The addition will allow for the expansion of the building footprint, providing even greater open and flexible floor plates. The facade restoration will also create an engaging retail and streetscape experience.

Tenant-focused amenities include a rooftop outdoor terrace and green space, a covered rooftop bar and lounge, shaded outdoor lounge areas, a ground floor lobby lounge, a fitness center with a wellness center, showers, and locker rooms, a conference meeting room space, and an indoor bike room.

The salvaged heavy timber structure and metal strapping will be exposed throughout the interior, celebrating the heritage of the original warehouse. Further finishes of walnut, brass, and leather will give the building’s refined public spaces a historic resonance. Details of the interior are expected to recall the ornate and colored apothecary glassware once filled on site, while plant choices will reinforce the story of health and wellness through botanical species used in early medicine.

With permits issued, general contractor Power Construction can begin work on site. Completion of the project was originally expected for the end of 2021 according to Alderman Reilly’s newsletter back in December 2020, but a new completion date has yet to be announced.