THE STORY

This iconic building, that was once capable of moving 19M pieces of mail per day, recently underwent an enormous transformation. After two years of extensive renovation and historic preservation, the building that used to be home to letters, cards, and mail-order-madness, was set to house Chicago businesses.

The owners and developers of this iconic building, 601W Companies, aimed to bring in foot traffic and help Chicago professionals envision the workspace opportunities afforded by this historic, grand structure. To do this, they pulled together the team of Eastlake Studio, JLL and Office Revolution to create a stunning 10th floor spec suite.

This spec suite showcased all the flexible working environments a potential West Loop Gate tenant could want—lounge, collaboration, meeting, reception, open plan workstations, and private office—while preserving the motif of the era. Office Revolution furnished all these spaces with a mix of retail, contract, and custom furniture that brought to life Eastlake Studio’s stunning vision.

Nineteen-foot ceilings and 14-foot windows lay the canvas for the team’s project. We filled the open and airy environment with saturated colors and retro-inspired furniture from 19 manufacturers which embody the Art Deco soul of the building and enable visitors to see themselves and their colleagues in the space. Pieces like the Studio TK Beso chair accentuate the Viccarbe Burin round collaboration table, inviting conversation against a crimson backdrop. The Stylex Dela task chair wraps the upholstered seat in a dusty pink frame, emulating the stems of a pink Aglaonema plant, arms sloping beneath the knife edge of the OFS Intermix conference table.

The suite opened for visitors in 2021—on time and on budget, despite the challenges of the prior year—and was quickly under lease to one of Chicago’s fastest growing companies. With a few modifications to tailor the environment to the tenant’s specific needs, the 10th floor spec suite was move-in ready and shortly welcomed its new occupants.

601W had this to say, “Where most people saw a building beyond repair, we saw a beautiful, historic exterior that could provide a shining ecosystem for the 21st century…and have successfully retrofitted the imposing structure into one of the greatest and most exciting office buildings in Chicago.”

We’ve had the pleasure of helping several businesses make the Old Post Office their new home and are thrilled to add this picturesque project to the list.