The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. announced that it will be relocating its global headquarters from the Wrigley Building to the company’s campus on Goose Island on the Chicago River.
The Wrigley Building is currently home to a quarter of the company’s nearly 1000 Chicago-based associates. The move will be completed by the end of 2012, bringing to a total of nearly 600 associates working on the Goose Island campus.
Wrigley’s presence on Goose Island has been under development since the 2005 opening of the company’s $57 million Global Innovation Center, which achieved Gold LEED certification in 2009. Two additional nearby facilities house the company’s Engineering Technology and Information Technology Centers, providing Wrigley with over 360,000 square feet of office and lab space on Goose Island. Wrigley also leases office space at 600 West Chicago, which is home to its North America business.
“Chicago is our hometown, and Wrigley remains fully committed to maintaining our Global and North American headquarters in the City,” said Reuben Gamoran, executive vice president and chief financial officer in a prepared statement. “By consolidating all global functions on our Goose Island campus, we will create an open office environment that supports the innovation, collaboration and creativity that will drive our continued growth.”
With this move, Wrigley will seek new development opportunities for the Wrigley Building, which has been an iconic feature of the Chicago skyline since its construction in the 1920s. Since its opening, the building has leased office and retail space to a range of tenants, with the Wrigley Co. itself never occupying more than 40 percent of the space. Today, the once state-of-the-art interior of the building is in need of substantial modernization to ensure that its future use is of the highest possible quality.
Wrigley is exploring a range of options for well suited redevelopment that will ensure the Wrigley Building remains a dynamic part of Michigan Avenue and will safeguard the building’s unique architectural features and historic name.
“The Wrigley Building is much-loved by both Chicago residents and visitors, and we understand its importance to the community,” said Gamoran.
