Graycor Construction Company recently completed the Building H Redevelopment project at Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, IL. Oakbrook Center, one of the largest shopping centers in the U.S. with over two million square feet of retail space, is owned by General Growth Properties (GGP). Building H is a three-story 90,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by the anchor tenant department store Bloomingdale’s Home.

Graycor worked closely with GGP on the redevelopment of the vacant anchor space from a single tenant building to an attractive multi-tenant retail building housing six tenants. With an ever changing retail environment, Graycor provided a flexible construction framework to accommodate different tenant dynamics and options.

The initial scope of the project included interior demolition, removal of existing vertical transportation, structural infill of floor openings, new building MEP services and service stubs to new tenant spaces, exterior façade work and hardscape improvements. As the prospective lease deals for the tenant spaces evolved, Graycor’s scope included ongoing assessments of the cost and schedule impacts from potential tenant-driven changes. The timeliness and accuracy of the information provided by Graycor helped GGP make informed decisions regarding tenant-driven scope changes.

Upon the successful completion of the project, the building was fully leased out to PIRCH, Hugo Boss, Lululemon Athletica, Tommy Bahama, Aritzia and The Container Store. “We enjoyed the opportunity to work with GGP and the tenants on their new stores at Oakbrook Center”, said Steve Oldendorf, Senior Project Manager at Graycor Construction Company. “Reconfiguring an entire department store to fit the needs of some of the most dynamic retailers required a significant amount of flexibility and creativity. We were fortunate enough to draw upon our vast amount of retail construction experience to ensure a successful outcome was achieved.”

During the Building H Redevelopment, Graycor also completed the turnkey build-out of The Container Store on the lower level of the building. Leveraging our experience as a landlord contractor as well as a tenant contractor enabled us to manage both projects concurrently. Additionally, Graycor’s high level of coordination within the building resulted in a seamless delivery of The Container Store. Graycor’s ability to service GGP and The Container Store simultaneously and equally was essential to meeting each client’s goals.

Graycor has decades of experience helping owners of retail real estate improve and redevelop existing space opportunities across North America.