Chicago Named Top Metro for 13th Year
Chicago has been named the top U.S. metro for corporate relocation for a record 13th consecutive year by Site Selection Magazine. The ranking is fueled by significant corporate investment that created 26.3 million square feet of new space and nearly 20,000 jobs.
This sustained corporate investment is physically reshaping Chicago's skyline, with a focus on high-performance, wellness-oriented architecture led by top-tier firms. In the rapidly expanding Fulton Market district, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) designed 800 Fulton Market, a 19-story office tower that has achieved LEED Platinum and WELL Gold certifications. Its design features extensive landscaped terraces for indoor-outdoor workspaces and smart building systems that monitor and circulate fresh air, attracting tech-oriented tenants like The Aspen Group. The trend towards amenity-rich, sustainable office space is a key driver for new leases. The recently completed Salesforce Tower, a 57-story skyscraper, will soon house the relocated Chicago office for Newmark, which cited the building's world-class amenities and flexible workspaces as crucial for attracting and retaining talent. Similarly, Gensler's design for 360 N Green, another new 24-story tower in Fulton Market, was specifically built to attract professional services firms with features like a high-performance envelope and numerous landscaped terraces. Major architecture firms are not just designing these new corporate spaces; they are also committing to them. HOK recently relocated its own Chicago studio to One Prudential Plaza, designing a space that champions environmental stewardship and neuroinclusive design to accommodate diverse sensory needs and work styles. Gensler, named AIA Chicago's 2025 Firm of the Year, also designed its new LEED Platinum-certified headquarters with a focus on carbon-reducing materials and hospitality-inspired collaborative spaces. This corporate growth is fueling ambitious, large-scale urban redevelopment projects that will define new city districts for decades. The 62-acre "The 78" development, masterplanned by SOM, and the 53-acre Lincoln Yards project are transforming former industrial riverfront sites into mixed-use communities with millions of square feet of new commercial and residential space. On the South Side, the Bronzeville Lakefront project is redeveloping the 48-acre former Michael Reese Hospital site into a $3.8 billion community. The plan, with design contributions from SOM, includes a new innovation center and is focused on equitable and sustainable development, with buildings designed to connect occupants to light, air, and nature. Infrastructure work for this long-term project began in 2023. The logistics sector is also a significant driver of office expansion, reflecting Chicago's role as a central transportation hub. In a notable 2026 move, logistics firm TransLoop is nearly tripling its headquarters, taking a 44,457-square-foot space in River North to accommodate a planned hiring surge of 100 new employees. This expansion is a clear indicator of the robust growth in specific business sectors fueling the city's commercial real estate momentum.
