Exchange 55
Chicago, IL
TRANSFORMATION REIMAGINED
Exchange 55 is Chicago’s newest, largest LEED-certified green warehouse building and modern, green logistics hub.
The 1.3 million square foot state of the art facility is located on 70[90?]-acres along the south branch of the Chicago river, adjacent to both the highly trafficked I-55 corridor and BNSF freight railway network.
Exchange 55 is the result of an expansive four-year, $250 million dollar redevelopment effort that re-imagined and delivered a new, economically viable and socially responsible future for a shuttered and dilapidated coal-fired power plant built in the early 1920s.
In July of 2021, Exchange 55’s tenant, one of the nation’s largest and most successful big box retailers, took possession of the entire facility for its use as a distribution/flow center under the terms of a multi-year commercial lease. This has created more than 2,000 new job opportunities within surrounding communities on Chicago’s southwest side.
As with all HRP projects, the redevelopment of Exchange 55 has been underscored by a three-pillared philosophy integrating environmental, economic and community considerations to ensure the successful transformation of the site into an eco-friendly, state of the art facility that is now serving as an economic engine for the community:
Sustainable for the Environment
- A commitment to sustainable, green development through remediation of contaminated brownfield sites to high environmental standards
- Recycling of as much of the building and other materials from the site as possible
- Incorporation of sustainable design initiatives into the development, including:
- An infrastructure that supports electric vehicles and a roof that accommodates solar panels
- The creation of over 1000 new local jobs
- Green landscaping including 700 trees, 400 native plants and bio-swales to absorb up to 16 tons of CO2 per year
- LED lighting and energy efficient fixtures throughout the one million square foot structure
Sustainable for the Economy
- Focus on projects that involve both significant construction employment and permanent jobs
- Emphasis on local hiring
- Focus on securing tenants, like the one we have at Exchange 55, who prioritize livable wages, job training initiatives and opportunities to grow within the company
Sustainable for the Community
- Engage and keep surrounding communities informed throughout the process
- Ensure that redevelopments accessible to both residents and the new workforce
- Work with stakeholders to address their concerns and considerations