Facebook signs large lease in the Loop

Facebook leveled up in Chicago by signing a 263,000-square-foot lease at 151 N. Franklin Street, the John Ronan-designed office tower, according to news first reported by the Chicago Tribune.

The expansion here is the latest in Facebook’s real estate growth, which over the past year includes an entire building and an office lease for Instagram in San Francisco, and an unpopular Frank Gehry-designed bridge at their massive campus.

Facebook hasn’t said much about its business in Chicago, but Crain’s reported that the company has hired at least 65 recruiters since early last year. There’s no word on how many employees the company has in Chicago or how many it expects to fill the new office space. Facebook first came to Chicago in 2007.

The 35-story office tower, CNA Center, recently opened as the new home of CNA Financial. While it might not compare the Facebook’s massive Menlo Park, California, campus, the new building does have Left Coast Food and Juice, a large gym, bike storage with lockers and showers, a second floor terrace and a rooftop garden lounge.

Nearly a month ago, the mayor interviewed Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg on his podcast where they discussed business, technology, and education. Sandberg was in Chicago to announce a partnership with City Colleges to organize coding bootcamps and bolster digital marketing training for students.

• Tech behemoths Facebook, Google planning big Chicago office expansions [Chicago Tribune]
• Facebook confirms huge office lease in the Loop [Chicago Tribune]