C.H. Robinson Relocates, Expands Chicago Office

By Keith Loria

C.H. Robinson has moved its Chicago offices from 1840 N. Marcey St. to the new Lincoln Yards development in the revitalized Lincoln Park neighborhood at 1515 W. Webster Ave. The logistics company becomes the area’s first anchor tenant. 

“This move was driven by our growth in Chicago. Our customer base in Chicago has been growing rapidly, by 25 percent in the last five years,” Pat Nolan, C.H. Robinson’s vice president of North America, told Commercial Property Executive. “To better serve these customers and support our technology platforms, we have hired new talent in Chicago. Our operation here has grown by more than 60 percent in the last 10 years.”

The firm has been in the city for more than 100 years, taking advantage of Chicago’s strong transportation hub.

“Chicago is an important location for us … since it is the hub for surface transportation in the United States,” Nolan said. “We are Chicago’s largest logistics employer and have been a part of the community for over 100 years. The new space was built with growth in mind as we look forward to many more years of serving our customers and our communities in the Chicago area.”

“Not only is (the Lincoln Yards) in a beautiful neighborhood along the river that has a thriving cultural scene, but it is part of an important revitalization project that makes Chicago an attractive place for other industry-leading organizations,” Nolan said. He added that the neighborhood is also a great fit for the company’s employees thanks to numerous parks nearby and bike and pedestrian trails along the river. “There is a vibrant restaurant and theater scene here,” he said. “The neighborhood is a commuter hub with connectivity to the rest of the city through public transit and also has housing just steps from our building’s front door.”

Employees have their say

The office building includes collaborative open workspaces, conference rooms and sit-stand desks for employees. The new property, developed in collaboration with the project developer Sterling Bay, features amenities that C.H. Robinson employees said were important to them in a work environment. “Most important, the space is more than double the size of the previous office at over 210,000 square feet,” Nolan said. “It has a large cafeteria and café area onsite and a 5,000-square-foot rooftop terrace. The workspaces are open and highly collaborative with sit-stand desks. The building also has a four-story atrium that floods the building with natural light.”

The Lincoln Yards development is quickly becoming a hot spot in Chicago due to its location along the river with parks, bike trails and pedestrian paths right there. It is convenient to the rest of the city through public transit and is within steps of plenty of housing opportunities.

Images courtesy of C.H. Robinson