{"id":24921,"date":"2024-06-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.compassdatacenters.com\/?p=24921"},"modified":"2025-03-10T08:16:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T13:16:40","slug":"sears-demolition-extending-green-construction-concepts-to-a-brownfield-site","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.compassdatacenters.com\/it\/sears-demolition-extending-green-construction-concepts-to-a-brownfield-site\/","title":{"rendered":"Extending green construction concepts to a brownfield site"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Image source: Transformco, “Sears Holdings Headquarters.”<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of 2023, Compass purchased the former Sears headquarter campus outside of Chicago. It had been only sparsely populated following Sears\u2019 bankruptcy filing in 2018 and vacant since the spring 2020 onset of the pandemic. With so few companies returning to work in the office following the pandemic, selling the expansive site as office space was challenging. Repurposing it for data center development was a solution welcomed by the Village of Hoffman Estates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“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.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n— Mayor Bill McLeod, Mayor, The Village of Hoffman Estates<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

For Compass, the site\u2019s existing infrastructure and close proximity to the Chicago market made it an ideal location for this development. In addition, Illinois\u2019 electric infrastructure is strong and ComEd<\/a> is an eager supporter of the project. However, redevelopment of a large campus such as this required a new approach. Compass looked for opportunities to develop it sustainably — minimizing waste and repurposing where we could — and be good neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putting plans to paper<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With the sale complete, we set out to consider how to take 2.4 million square feet of office space and transition it to data center use. At Compass<\/a>, we go slow before we go fast. We wanted to be methodical and thoughtful, extending the sustainable approach we take to greenfield development projects to this brownfield site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While we worked on plans, we opened the buildings to first responders for training. Police departments across the region took advantage of access to the buildings to conduct active shooter, forcible entry, K-9 training and more. Fire crews trained on ladder trucks, interior structures, search and rescue, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the buildings were made accessible to local organizations who could repurpose building contents. The Village of Hoffman Estates helped by inviting local businesses and nonprofit organizations to give furnishings, tools, equipment, and materials remaining in the building a new home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selecting a like-minded partner<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The sustainability-centered Sears demolition started with an exhaustive search for the right contractor. We considered six different potential demolition contractors, placing a high priority on the contractor\u2019s ability to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n