CHICAGO — Friedman Properties has completed renovations at the Reid Murdoch Building in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. The improvements included the construction of a 5,600-square-foot amenity suite with a new lounge and fitness center. Housed on the fourth floor, the lounge features a café with complimentary coffee drinks, an audiovisual system, refrigeration and warming drawers for larger events and multiple seating configurations to accommodate individuals or small groups. Two conference rooms are available with video conferencing technology. Other features include high-speed internet and a mural by artist Kate Lewis.
The fitness center includes cardio equipment with integrated video content and streaming, Peloton bikes and free weights. Tenants have access to locker rooms with showers and towel service as well as a personal trainer.
A first phase of renovations completed earlier this year included a 5,388-square-foot speculative office suite on the third floor that includes a lounge and collaboration space, two conference rooms, three private offices, 29 flexible workstations and an open kitchen. The lobby was also renovated.
Originally constructed in 1914, the Reid Murdoch Building long served as the office, warehouse and manufacturing facilities for Reid, Murdoch & Co., one of the country’s largest wholesale grocers. The building hosted traffic courts and other municipal offices for decades, following the city’s purchase of the property in 1955.
Friedman acquired the eight-story, 320,000-square-foot building in 1998 and executed a full redevelopment in 2002. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a Chicago Landmark. Tenants include Whirlpool Corp., Encyclopedia Britannica, Walton Isaacson and Priority Sports.