About Sullivan Center

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Developer: Joseph Freed and Associates LLC
Designer: Harboe Architects
Size: 943,332 square feet

Sullivan Center is a nine-building complex comprising nearly 1 million square feet of space. Dating back to 1899, the original edifice is one of the most important works of renowned Chicago architect Louis Henri Sullivan, with its highly ornate cornice and two-story, cast-iron storefront. The other buildings are connected at the second floor and above into large, contiguous spaces, enabling future redevelopment into offices.

In 2001, Joseph Freed and Associates (JFA) completed a sale-leaseback with Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (CPS) and launched a ten-year, $200 million project to restore the landmark to its original architectural and commercial splendor. JFA invested in the award-winning historic preservation of Sullivan’s storefront and redeveloped the upper 350,000 square feet into third-party office space, while CPS continued operating a 650,000-square-foot department store below. When CPS closed in 2007, JFA completed the restoration and modernization of the bottom of the building, solidifying its place at the geographic and commercial center of Chicago.

Sullivan Center, with a strong commitment to sustainability, is one of only a few historic buildings to achieve LEED for Existing Buildings (2012) and to achieve an Energy Star rating. JFA also worked with several tenants to achieve LEED for Commercial Interiors, including Gensler Architecture, which achieved gold status. The JFA office operates in a sustainable manner and achieved the city of Chicago’s Green Office Challenge gold level in 2011. The carbon footprint of the project is minimized due to its location near major elevated rail and subway lines, 15 bus lines, and new bike lanes.