C.H. Robinson, one of the world’s largest logistics providers, has announced plans for a 207,000-square-foot build-to-suit office building located at 1511 West Webster in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Sterling Bay, which acquired the 4.18 acre site earlier this year, will serve as the developer and manage the property.

The construction of the three-story building will transform the former tannery site into the Chicago office headquarters for C.H. Robinson. The leading global third party logistics provider (3PL) has signed a 15-year lease for the entire property – a significant expansion from its current 160,000 square feet at 1840 N. Marcey Street. Occupancy is expected in late 2018.

“Over the past decade, Chicago has emerged as our largest center of employment, and one of our most important global markets,” said Pat Nolan, vice president at C.H. Robinson. “Chicago’s longstanding history as a multimodal transportation hub, its thriving tech industry, and its rich talent pool make it an ideal place for us to do business. We look forward to continued growth in Chicago in the years to come.”

As the largest logistics company in Chicago, C.H. Robinson provides more truckload services than any other 3PL in the world. The company, which will celebrate 100 years in Chicago next year, has seen its Chicago headcount virtually double since 2005. C.H. Robinson’s nearly 2,000 Chicago employees account for almost 15 percent of its global workforce.

“We chose this building because its location is convenient for our employees, many of whom take public transportation to work. It’s on a great piece of riverfront property and the built-to-suit aspect will enable us to design a custom space that our current and future employees will love,” said Mike Ryan, vice president at C.H. Robinson.

In the last several years, Sterling Bay has transformed the city’s Near West Side, redeveloping 111 North Canal, 1000 West Fulton (1KFulton) and 400 South Jefferson, giving traditional corporations and young tech companies alike new options for a their business address. Companies like Google, Twitter, GoGo, Hillshire Brands, SAP, IDEO and Uber continue to flock to their properties. Sterling Bay, which has a reputation as a user friendly and savvy developer, has received multiple awards for its work in the last few years.

“We are excited about the opportunity to transform this underutilized property to beautify a portion of the riverfront and to bring jobs to this location,” said Sterling Bay principal Andy Gloor.

About C.H. Robinson
Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson is a global provider of multimodal logistics services, fresh produce sourcing, and information services to 46,000 customers through a network of more than 280 offices and over 12,000 employees around the world. The company works with 66,000 transportation providers worldwide. C.H. Robinson is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenues of $13.5 billion in 2014. Through the company and its Foundation, C.H. Robinson and its employees contribute millions of dollars annually to a variety of organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Community Health Charities, American Red Cross, Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, and Global Impact. The company is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and has been publicly traded on the NASDAQ since 1997. For more information about C.H. Robinson, visit http://www.chrobinson.com.

About Sterling Bay
Founded in 1986, Sterling Bay is a real estate investment and development company with expertise in the construction, leasing and management of commercial properties. For more information please visit www.sterlingbay.com.

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