CHICAGO—Many downtown tenants would love to have a clear view of Lake Michigan. For the Alliance for the Great Lakes, however, a growing non-profit dedicated to protecting the Great Lakes, such a view was a necessity, not a luxury.
"That was the toughest part of finding them a space," Chad Bermingham, vice president of Cresa Chicago, tells GlobeSt.com. He represented the Alliance as it looked for a new home to replace the approximately 3,400-square-foot space it occupied in 17 N. State. "That building wanted to keep them, but they did not have a large enough space that also had a view of the lake."
"As a nonprofit, they also have a tight budget and a board of directors to answer to," Bermingham adds.
"Our programs to restore the Great Lakes have grown steadily in recent years," says Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the alliance. "We were bursting at the seams but maintaining our reasonable overhead costs was an absolute necessity in finding a larger space."
But Bermingham just completed a 6,674-square-foot lease for the alliance in the Crain's Communications Building at 150 N. Michigan Ave., a space large enough for up to 30 staff and interns at an affordable rent. He could not disclose the exact terms of the lease.
Although it might seem a tall order to get an affordable office space with a splendid view of Lake Michigan, Bermingham says that portion of the CBD does have options. "There are some less expensive Michigan Ave. offices but many are in class C buildings."
The new location, however, is class A, and is even ENERGY STAR-certified, another requirement for an environmental organization.
"Working on a budget does not mean nonprofit organizations need to sacrifice finding outstanding office space," he says.
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Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
