Out with the old, in with the new—Kemper Corp. is going to leave its current headquarters at 1 East Wacker Drive and relocate to 200 East Randolph St., the third-tallest building in Chicago.
200 East Randolph Street, Chicago (Yardi Matrix)
The leading insurance provider has recently signed a 65,000-square-foot lease for the entire 32nd and 33rd floors of the iconic Aon Center. Although the company will say goodbye to its corporate base within the 41-story skyscraper known as the Kemper Building, it won’t switch neighborhoods: it will remain in the Loop area of Downtown Chicago.
Kemper is going to be surrounded by a select tenant roster. The Aon Center is home to 34 other companies active in a variety of fields, such as banking, advertising, PR, software, parking management, power generation, and marketing. Noteworthy tenants include Associated Bank, Downtown Partners, JLL, Strata Decision Technology, Schindler Elevator Corp., KPMG, The Kraft Heinz Co., DDB Chicago, and The Marketing Arm—per Yardi Matrix data.
This lease marks the first significant deal closed since 601W Cos., the owner of the 83-story tower at 200 East Randolph St., began an extensive, $25 million renovation of the property—the first major revamping effort in over two decades. The 1972-built skyscraper is going to be transformed into a hospitality-minded office building featuring kinetic amenities that can evolve over time.
Upon completion, the building’s highlight will be a 34,000-square-foot amenity floor called the Cloud Level—an entertainment space located on the 70th floor, which will offer a breathtaking view of the Windy City. Tenants are going to benefit from modern lobbies, a two-story atrium in the lounge area, a billiards room, a fully operated bar and café, a conference room, and a 16,000-square-foot fitness center.
A Chicago landmark, the Class A+ property is adjacent to Millennium Park and the Art Institute in the East Loop and provides easy access to the city’s underground pedway system and two public transportation stations.
Initially called the Standard Oil Building, Aon Center was originally completed in 1972. At that time, it was the fourth-tallest skyscraper in the world. The 2,687,933-square-foot office tower became the Amoco Building in 1985, was completely renovated in 1992 and received its current name in 1999. Recently, the top floors have been lit at night with colors that reflect various events or holidays. For instance, green or red is used for Christmas and pink is used during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
