Real estate and infrastructure occupiers in Chicago typically cluster in West Loop, plan ~215 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out ($200–290/sqft), and pay around 52 USD/sqft ($52 USD) on Class A.
Real estate and infrastructure occupiers in Chicago typically cluster in West Loop, plan ~215 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out">fit-out ($200–290/sqft), and pay around 52 USD/sqft ($52 USD) on Class A.
Real estate and infrastructure occupiers in Chicago typically anchor in West Loop. Professional services, fintech, trading, top law firms.
Class A rent in Chicago runs 52 USD/sqft ($52 USD) on a 10-year lease with 22 months free. Trophy submarkets command a 20–40% premium above the city index.
Typical real estate and infrastructure fit-out targets high-end specification at $200–290/sqft. Branded reception, full client-facing programming, premium furniture, and specialist AV are standard.
Plan around 215 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount real estate office in Chicago typically targets 21,500 sqft of leasable area.
Sponsor and asset-management teams favor trophy CBD addresses with proximity to investment-banking and law-firm tenancy. Deep professional-services, fintech, and trading talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 88 vs. New York.
Headline corporate tax: 28.5%. Modified-gross with op-ex escalations over a base year. Rent-free 18-30 months and TI $120-$200/sqft on a 10-year term are current market.
| city | Chicago |
|---|---|
| industry | Real estate and infrastructure |
| naics | 531, 237 |
| preferredSubmarket | West Loop |
| preferredFitoutSpec | High-end |
| fitoutBand | $200–290/sqft |
| sqftPerSeat | 215 |
| classARentLocal | 52 USD/sqft/yr |
| classARentUsd | $52/sqft/yr |
| vacancyPct | 24.5% |
| typicalLeaseYears | 10 |
| typicalRentFreeMonths | 22 |
| talentIndex | 88 |
| corporateTaxPct | 28.5% |
Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.