The Mart, the largest privately held commercial building in the United States, announced what it calls “the building’s boldest transformation yet.”
This summer, The Mart will welcome a new suite of world-class tenant amenities, plus food and beverage retailers, that promote an integrated approach to work, life and wellness, as well as revitalizations to the South Lobby and River Park, one of the few green spaces available to the public on the Chicago riverfront.
Owned and operated by Vornado Realty Trust, The Mart has been internationally recognized as a global innovator in culture, design, and technology. The latest developments, designed by Gensler, will provide the future of office space to some of the country’s most creative and forward-thinking companies. The transformation will honor and challenge the building’s heritage and its existing Art Deco architecture to create an open and accessible meeting place, opening its doors as a marketplace of experiences, creativity and ideas.
“Vornado acquired The Mart in 1998 and, 25 years later, we are proud to continue to build upon our successes and unveil this next phase of the building’s impressive history,” said Paul Heinen, chief operating officer, The Mart. “Our new workplace strategy will complement The Mart’s existing offerings — expansive offices for industry leading tenants, sought-after brands in our design showrooms, and cutting-edge digital exhibitions at Art on The Mart — creating one of the most dynamic mixed-use developments in the city on the grandest scale.”
The upcoming transformation follows an earlier phase of improvements in 2016 that saw the introduction of the Grand Stair and Marshall’s Landing, a top dining destination, and a new food hall, reception and information desk.
Spaces and new amenities opening in Summer 2023 include new lounge seating in the South Lobby, with furnishings sources exclusively from design showrooms in the building; a centralized amenity experience on the second floor featuring a 23,000-square-foot health club, a tenant-exclusive speakeasy lounge overlooking the river and a cluster of new curated retail offerings across beauty, health and wellbeing; a 21,000-square-foot, tenant-exclusive conference center and workspace with conference and meeting rooms, lounge areas, flexible programming space, and a private café and a reimagination of the River Park public space.
“The design approach at The Mart marries legacy and modernity to better serve the building’s tenants and the broader community,” said Todd Heiser, Managing Director of Gensler. “New spaces and amenities build on The Mart’s historic foundation by celebrating the building’s ornate Art Deco details and reimagining them for the contemporary workplace. This balanced intersection showcases The Mart’s position as an epicenter of workplace — of yesterday, today and the future.”
