CHICAGO - Mortenson Construction has finished converting three buildings in the Chicago Loop Retail Historic District into modern energy-efficient Federal office facilities for the U.S. General Services Administration.

The $26 million project took up about a half-block of Chicago's Loop along State Street north of Jackson. It involved working with the city and historic preservation groups. Demand for office space in the upgraded properties is rising, the firm said. The GSA already has a new tenant taking up half of the 10 West Jackson building and is in talks with other possible renters. “More cost-efficient, high-quality buildings in the Loop, River North and elsewhere downtown are attracting A-list tenants. Hillshire Brands' headquarters move to a West Loop office building is just the latest example of this trend,” says Greg Werner, vice-president and general manager for Mortenson's Chicago office. “A Michigan Avenue address is no longer mandatory for top-tier companies.” Most of Mortenson's work was done at 10 W. Jackson, the site of the old Bond department store, which had been standing empty for more than five years. Mortenson gutted the 6-story, 131,200 square foot building and removed an elevator to relocate the main entrance to 11 West Quincy. The building is now integrated with the Dirksen Federal Building, John C. Kluczynski Federal Building, and the Loop Station Post Office. With a design reminiscent of an open bird's beak, Mortenson extended the 2nd through 6th floors on the north side of the building and replaced a brick wall with floor-to-ceiling windows. The glass is etched with the words of the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence. On the building's east side, Mortenson preserved the original floor-to-ceiling windows but installed energy-efficient windows behind the historic curtain wall. At the other GSA buildings, at 18 W. Jackson Blvd. and 230 S. State St., Mortenson installed new roofs to improve insulation and reduce cooling. It restored the glass blocks and cleaned the terra cotta exterior of 230 S. State and installed a sprinkler system at 18 W. Jackson, which is a 100-year-old wooden building. The GSA wanted to bring in more revenue but at the same time wanted to make its facilities greener. GSA used funds from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that were designated for high-performance green buildings. GSA is now applying for LEED Gold certification. Founded in 1954, Mortenson Construction is a U.S.-based, privately held construction company. With an office in Chicago, it has offices in Minneapolis, Denver, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Seattle and has operations in Canada and China.