Thompson Center to go up for sale

Gov. Bruce Rauner wants to sell the James R. Thompson Center, a massive steel-and-glass structure that, depending on your perspective, is either an architectural gem or a gaudy, outdated eyesore.

Rauner, with the building’s cylindrical atrium as a backdrop, announced Tuesday his plans to put the Loop building — which houses about 2,200 state employees and 280 non-government workers — on the auction block within a year.

“This is a compelling financial gain for the people of Illinois and the city of Chicago,” Rauner said. “This building is ineffective — for the people who work here, all of whom are eager to move somewhere else. It’s noisy, it’s hard to meet with your colleagues, it’s hard to move through the building — very, very ineffective.”

Selling the building would likely mean demolition for the controversial 1.2 million-square-foot structure that was completed in 1985 and named after former Gov. James R. Thompson.

“The odds of being able to keep the existing structure in place as it exists: very low,” Rauner said. “It’s just not usable for much of anything.”

Asked about the building’s architectural significance, he said he’d let others debate “the aesthetics.”

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” he said.

Saying he wants to “maximize the price” at auction, Rauner wouldn’t say how much a sale might be expected to generate.

“It’s attractive,” he said. “We can get good value for tax payers by selling this building and moving out.”

Depending on the size of the new building, it could generate about $20 million annually in new city and school taxes, Rauner said.

Rauner isn’t the first governor to look at selling the 17-story building that cost $172 million to develop.

Then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in 2003 he was prepared to sell the Thompson Center and other state-owned properties to help close a $5 billion budget deficit, but that plan never moved forward amid a backlash about privatizing public assets.

Most Thompson Center workers would likely stay in Chicago, while some would be transferred to Springfield, Rauner said.

Rauner said he’s already spoken to Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan about his plans.

“They both want to learn more of the details, but I would call them forward leaning and positive on this,” Rauner said.

Madigan hasn’t expressed an opinion on the proposal, a spokesman said Tuesday afternoon.

“We will review the proposed action in light of state law on property control and facilities closures,” said Moira Dolehide, a Cullerton spokeswoman.

Rauner also said he’d had positive feedback from Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Architect Helmut Jahn designed the building as a statement about modern government. He wanted it to project accessibility, so he arrayed every floor to overlook a huge sunlit atrium.

Jahn issued a statement Tuesday, saying, in part, “The building has not been maintained or repaired, the retail lacks style and attraction. … The best way to save the building, and to improve it, is to repurpose it.”

The building’s heating and air-conditioning systems have been plagued with problems. Workers complain that buckets have to be put out to catch leaks. Fast-food smells drift up from the cafeteria on the lower level.

A woman who has worked in the building for 15 years and agreed to be identified only as “Donna” said demolition is long overdue.

“I start coughing within an hour of walking in this building every day,” she said. “My eyes burn. I can smell the dust as soon as I walk in the door. … It should be knocked down. It’s a total waste of space.”

Another worker, who agreed to be identified only as “John,” said of the building: “It represents an architectural period that is somewhat embarrassing. … The great pyramids of Cheops it is not.”

Contributing: Neil Steinberg