Chicago City Wire

Samir Mayekar, deputy mayor for the city's Economic and Neighborhood Development, recently thanked Google for their planned expansion in Chicago.

According to Block Club Chicago, Google announced that it is purchasing the Thompson Center, located in the Loop, for $105 million, following renovations that will be completed by other organizations. The renovations will make the building an energy-efficient, environmentally-sustainable office suite for Google employees.

"This transformative agreement will save our taxpayers nearly a billion dollars over the next thirty years and further Chicago's reputation as one of the great tech hubs, not just of the United States, but of the world," Gov. JB Pritzker said in a press release. "I want to thank Google and the Prime Group for investing in their future by investing in ours. Together, we are bringing a 21st-century vision for the LaSalle Street corridor to life."

As part of the deal, the state will receive $30 million and the title to the property located at 115 S. LaSalle St., which will be renovated by Google for state government use, according to the press release.

"biggest corporate expansion in modern #Chicago history - thank you ⁦@Google for recognizing Chicago’s amazing base of diverse talent, world-class infrastructure, and quality of life," Mayekar wrote on Wednesday in a Twitter post. "As Karen the Chicago office lead says 'Googlers love Chicago!'"

"The Thompson Center gives us a presence in the central business district, enabling us to get in on the ground floor of revitalizing the Loop with its unparalleled access to public transit, which is so important to today's hybrid workforce," Karen Sauder, president of Global Clients and Agency Solutions and site lead of Google in Chicago, said. 

"This will help our business, our product development and create a great environment for our employees. We're proud to continue being an active part of Chicago's diverse and vibrant community."