There’s a spark of excitement in Hoffman Estates, Illinois this fall, with new data center developments in the pipeline, the ongoing reinvention of a former corporate campus, and the first multi-family development in over 40 years nearing completion and ready for occupancy.
The announcement of the newest data center development in Hoffman Estates was made in September 2023 when the former Sears Holdings Corporation campus was purchased by Compass Datacenters, based in Dallas, Texas. Compass plans to construct a data center complex on the 197-acre campus, near the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, west of Illinois Route 59.
“We are very pleased to welcome Compass Datacenters to Hoffman Estates,” said Mayor Bill McLeod. “The redevelopment of the former Sears headquarters into a data center campus begins a new chapter for this high-profile property and continues the technology diversification of our tax base. Although still preliminary, the investment by Compass will be in the billions of dollars and will have positive effects for our community for years to come.”
The campus was put up for sale in 2022 by property owner Transformco, the private holding company formed after Sears filed for bankruptcy in late 2018. Sears relocated to Hoffman Estates in 1992 from their namesake Sears Tower in downtown Chicago.
Microsoft has also been working to complete a data center complex in Hoffman Estates. Construction is complete on the first 200,000 square foot building of the $450 million Microsoft data center east of Barrington Road, just north of I-90. Plans call for construction of a second similarly-sized building on the on 53-acre site. These buildings, and the significant infrastructure improvements for both sewer and electric on the site, reflect a long-term investment in the Hoffman Estates community.
Just to the south of the Microsoft site, Bell Works Chicagoland continues to attract a variety of new businesses to Hoffman Estates. Located in the former AT&T Campus north of I-90, Bell Works has a unique, mall-like atmosphere, with office and co-working space, a conference center, fitness centers, restaurants and event spaces.
Several new tenants recently held grand opening celebrations at Bell Works, including Heritage Crystal Clean, an environmental services firm that relocated its 140-employee headquarters from Elgin; Headline Solar; and Club Colors screen printing, with over 150 employees. The World’s Fair by Fairgounds Coffee and Tea café opened in Bell Works in July this year, offering a breakfast and lunch menu, a cocktail bar, and an outside patio. Bell Works plans to lease out 15,000 square feet of Ready-to-Wear office space in 2023 accommodate small businesses and professionals.
For the first time since the late 1970s, a new multifamily development was built in Hoffman Estates this year. The Seasons at Hoffman Estates features luxury studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in a pet-friendly rental community with access to amenities like attached garages, a state-of-the-art clubhouse, a resort style swimming pool, and fitness center. Pre-leasing of the 296 units in this eight-building apartment community has already started, with tenants expected to start moving in this November.
