CHICAGO—Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. recently selected J.C. Anderson, Inc. to complete a multi-phased renovation for the Merchandise Mart at 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza in Chicago, the latest step in the iconic building's transformation into a home for tech firms like Yelp Inc. and Motorola Mobility.

"The Merchandise Mart has changed over the last few years from a building for showroom tenants into an office hub for tech-based tenants," William Burfeind, vice president of J.C. Anderson, Inc., tells GlobeSt.com, and it needs the types of amenities tech employees expect. The company's senior staff has completed multiple projects at the Merchandise Mart over the past 15 years, and this has "been a key interest of ours."

J.C. Anderson will reconfigure the layout of the existing food court to provide more seating, an abundance of natural light and new finishes. The most extensive renovations will include the installation of a grand staircase in the main lobby and creating a 2nd floor bar and restaurant area. The building will remain fully functional during construction, which will begin in the fourth quarter.