Mirroring a nationwide trend, office parks in suburban Chicago are emptying out as companies increasingly favor urban locations. As a result, developers and local officials are having to think creatively about possibilities for office park reuse.
When Motorola Mobility announced recently that it would be trading in its home in Libertyville for prime space in Chicago's Merchandise Mart, it joined BP Amoco, United Airlines, and Sara Lee in helping to reverse the corporate exodus from Chicago, and cities across America, that marked the rise of the suburbs in the decades following World War II.
For reporter David Roeder, Motorola's move is, "another example of how the isolated, splendidly landscaped
corporate base in the suburbs has fallen out of favor." With office space in the suburbs facing a "hard sell" since the start of the financial crisis, "these compounds by and large must look to the private market for a new reason to exist."
"Daniel Miranda, president of HSA Commercial Real
Estate, said possibilities include turning some campuses into retail
centers, perhaps outlet malls, or converting them for medical or
educational uses. Some suburbs, Miranda said, may wish to convert the
campuses into a carefully planned 'mini-town.'"
"Many analysts have said a desire to recruit
younger, tech-savvy workers drives the job shift to downtown," notes Roeder. "Tony
Smaniotto, senior managing director at Studley Inc., said cost control
is another factor."
Some analysts however, like Art Burrows, senior vice president at NAI Hiffman, are skeptical of how long this trend will continue. He believes, "the suburbs will
come back when there's a clear price advantage and housing improves."
FULL STORY: Nobody home at suburban office parks

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

CaBi Breaks Ridership Record — Again
Washington D.C.’s bike share system is extremely popular with both residents and visitors.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.
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