CHICAGO—VelocityEHS, a growing Chicago-based software provider, has decided to move its global headquarters from 350 N. Orleans St. in River North to a new space across the street in the Merchandise Mart. The company will sublease more than 90,000 square feet of the Motorola Mobility top floor offices, further boosting the building's reputation as a hub for the city's tech scene.
Company officials say that recent regulatory changes and increased corporate focus on safety and sustainability has helped VelocityEHS experience steady growth. The company provides firms with environmental, health, safety and sustainability software, and since 2014, it has added 100 jobs in its Chicago office, bringing the total to more than 300 employees. The larger space in the Mart will accommodate that growth and provide room for its continued expansion. Officials expect they will complete the move in early 2016.
"This office move represents the impact our EHS software platform has on the more than eight million workers who currently rely on our solutions to do their jobs safely," says Glenn Trout, president and chief executive officer VelocityEHS. "We've experienced tremendous growth and emerged as an industry leader as more companies look for a trusted partner to help them solve complex EHS and sustainability challenges. VelocityEHS offers that partnership with a simple and intuitive platform that helps companies reach their goals faster."
Like many tech firms in the region, VelocityEHS considers it essential to have an office in the CBD.Many of its employees live in the city, and more than 90% rely on public transportation to get to work. And settling in the Mart means it will be part of a genuine tech community, which includes entities such as 1871, the tech incubator that has launched many tech start-ups.
"Keeping the company's headquarters in downtown Chicago was a top priority for us," adds Trout. "The city has emerged as a key player in the technology community and we are proud to be a partner in that evolution. We look forward to continuing to add to Chicago's technology sector with the addition of new jobs that keep the brightest and best here in the Midwest."
And the Mart is making a lot of changes to accomodate the arrival of so many new businesses. As reported in GlobeSt.com, J.C. Anderson has been hired to 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.
VelocityEHS was represented in the transaction by Brad Serot, executive vice president at CBRE.
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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.
