Illinois

CHICAGO — Friedman Properties has completed five leases totaling 107,000 square feet at the Reid Murdoch Building in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. New tenant Smartly, an artificial intelligence-powered advertising technology company with offices around the world, signed a lease for 5,000 square feet of office space. Storck USA, which has maintained its offices in the building since 2002, expanded from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet. Headquartered in Berlin, Storck is a confectionary producer with brands including Werther’s Original, Mamba, Riesen, merci, Knoppers and Toffifay. The Motion Agency, an independently owned marketing agency, expanded from 20,000 to 25,000 square feet. The company’s headquarters have been located at the property since 2018. Theater of the Mind, an immersive theatrical experience presented as part of Goodman Theatre’s centennial 2025/2026 season, signed a 19,000-square-foot lease for ground-floor retail space. River Roast renewed its 28,000-square-foot restaurant lease. The eatery opened in 2014. Friedman Properties recently completed a renovation that included a new tenant lounge, café, audiovisual system, two conference rooms and a fitness center. Additional upgrades included the build-out of a 5,388-square-foot speculative office suite, refreshed common areas and a lobby transformation. Originally constructed in 1914, the Reid Murdoch Building long served as the office, …

CHICAGO — USG Corp. has renewed its 165,000-square-foot office headquarters lease at 550 West Adams in downtown Chicago. The tenant manufactures high-quality building materials and has more than 50 manufacturing facilities across North America. Formed in Chicago in 1902, USG is the largest producer of wallboard in the U.S. and the largest manufacturer of gypsum products overall in North America. Chris Wood and David Stefancic of Cushman & Wakefield represented USG, while Mark Bâby and Katie Hull of Stream Realty Partners represented ownership, Manova Partners. Cushman & Wakefield negotiated USG’s original global headquarters lease in 2004 that coincided with the development of 550 West Adams. Cushman & Wakefield will also provide project management services to USG as part of a renovation of the space. Built in 2006 and located in the heart of the West Loop, 550 West Adams rises 18 stories and is LEED Gold certified. Last year, Manova completed a major renovation of the second-floor amenity space, adding a 50-seat conference center, upgrading the tenant lounge and installing a golf simulator and fitness center with showers and locker facilities. Additional amenities include a tenant concierge, a Chase Bank branch and ATM, lobby-level café, bike storage and heated parking …