Cisco brings Midwest office to downtown Chicago

Technology provider Cisco Systems said Friday it will move its Midwest regional hub from Rosemont to downtown Chicago, where it will lease space in the Old Post Office at 433 W. Van Buren St.

An official in the mayor’s office said the company will lease more than 134,000 square feet in the cavernous landmark whose refurbishing has brought corporate tenants to downtown. The Cisco space will accommodate up to 1,200 employees, the official said.

“As a part of our growing business community, Cisco will be able to benefit from the tremendous amount of advantages our city provides, including convenient access to global markets and a diverse workforce and talent pipeline,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a prepared statement. “I look forward to formally welcoming Cisco to our city in the very near future and identifying ways we can partner together to continue driving inclusive and equitable economic development.”

“Chicago is an amazing city and offers everything we wanted for our Midwest regional hub. It’s business-friendly, has a booming tech and innovation ecosystem, and offers access to a dynamic pool of talent,” said Gerri Elliott, executive vice president and chief customer and partner officer at Cisco. “Our new space is more than just an office, it’s a showcase for our technology and will highlight how we are powering hybrid work for our teams, our customers and partners, and for businesses in and around Chicago.”

The company will join such tenants as Uber, Walgreens, PepsiCo, Ferrara Candy and Cboe Global Markets in the Old Post Office. The building straddles Ida B. Wells Parkway as it becomes the Eisenhower Expressway.

In Rosemont, Cisco is leaving the Rosemont Corporate Center, 9501 Technology Blvd. Marketing materials for the building say Cisco occupies about 82,000 square feet there. The company has a smaller office at 525 W. Van Buren St., near the Old Post Office.

Company officials were unavailable to discuss the timing of the move.