CHICAGO—WiredScore, the company behind an international rating system for technological capacity in commercial buildings, has decided to deepen its commitment to the Chicago region. It just brought on Christine Torres, formerly a vice president at Colliers International, as head of WiredScore Chicago. The move is part of a larger expansion, which has brought the New York City-based firm's Wired Certification platform to six countries.
“Prior to WiredScore, there wasn't a way to precisely communicate how much an owner invested in a building's technology,” Torres tells GlobeSt.com. The introduction of cloud computing has increased the importance of technology in the workplace, and with the company's Platinum, Gold, Silver and other certifications, “you can determine very quickly which buildings have invested in infrastructure.”
As a result, owners experience shorter leasing cycles and increases in price-per-square-foot, according to a new report from CoStar Portfolio Strategy, LLC.
WiredScore considers it essential to have a major presence here. “Chicago is the tech heart of the Midwest,” Torres says, and “it's already known as a start-up city.” It is also home to more than 400 major corporate headquarters and grabbed headlines in 2017 with its placement on the list as a possible site for Amazon HQ2.
“Moreover, 2017 was a recording-breaking year for Chicago in terms of venture capital funding, with $1.6 billion going to local startups and tech companies,” says Torres. “It's more important than ever that owners and developers are serving the digital needs of high-growth organizations so that they can continue to thrive.”
“We are thrilled to have a true local Chicago expert to join our team,” says Arie Barendrecht, founder and chief executive officer of WiredScore. “In her previous role with Colliers, where she specialized in tenant representation for technology, law, financial services and nonprofit firms, Christine saw first-hand how tenants present landlords with their connectivity requirements and asset managers and leasing teams struggle to effectively communicate how their buildings stack up in response.”
WiredScore is already the leading tech standard New York City. And in Chicago, 19 buildings, both new and renovated, with a total of about 22 million square feet, have already received certifications, Torres says.
Riverside Investment & Development, for example, secured a Platinum certification for 150 North Riverside, its new trophy building. In addition, Equity Office Properties got a platinum rating for Willis Tower, which helped advertise the building's $500 million makeover, and after installing up-to-date fiber optic technology GlenStar Asset Management did likewise for its Chicago Board of Trade building. The Wrigley Building received a gold certification, proving that even buildings best known as historical landmarks can provide tenants with best-in-class internet services.
“A Wired Certified building is a step ahead of the competition, and a clear differentiation for tenants seeking the best technological service,” says Jack O'Brien, a Telos Group principal who represented Beacon Capital Partners in leasing transactions at 1 North Dearborn, another platinum building.
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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.
