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Google has officially purchased the Thompson Center. According to Block Club Chicago, the famous Windy City skyscraper located in The Loop was purchased for $105,000,000. The building has stood to house government offices since 1985 and was initially called the State of Illinois Center. Due to expensive infrastructure issues, the building was put up for sale by local lawmakers.
Block Club Chicago noted Governor J. B Pritzker discussing the positive effects that this sale will have on the city. In fact, the purchase of the Thompson Center is expected to save state taxpayers one billion dollars within the next 30 years.
“Google is one of Chicago’s most important companies. You are an integral part of our community, and you have invested in your future while investing in ours,” Pritzker told fellow Chicagoans during a news conference.
This purchase is apart of Google's plan to hire "thousands" of workers in cities across America. The tech giant has other office spaces in Chicago that employee a total of 2,000 workers. They plan to completely renovate the Thompson Center to create offices for their employees. The current employees of the state that worked in the office prior to the sale will be relocated to another available space on La Salle Street.