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BUSINESS NEWS FRANKLIN PARTNERS AND WRIGHT HEEREMA ARCHITECTS ANNOUNCE ACQUISITION AND REDEVELOPMENT OF FORMER OFFICEMAX HEADQUARTERS Franklin Partners and Wright Heerema Architects announced the redevelopment of the former OfficeMax headquarters at 263 Shuman Boulevard in Naperville, Illinois. Franklin Partners, in a joint venture with Bixby Bridge Capital, acquired the property last week. The 350,000-square-foot office building will be reinvented as a socially-activated, multi- tenant building after a long life as a corporate headquarters location, dating back to its initial development in1987 for AT&T. Themain entrance and atrium will be redesigned with a grand staircase and stadium seating leading down to a bright, airy lower level featuring baristas, a market-style deli, full fitness center, co-working lounges, and other amenities more typical of a Chicago high-rise than the surrounding suburban offices. The redevelopment plans are in progress, with construction scheduled to begin later this year and completion set for early 2019. No tenants currently occupy the building, which is centrally located off Interstate 88 with prominent visibility. “There’s an unmet need to deliver an amenity- rich workplace experience in the heart of Chicago’s western suburbs,” observes Ray Warner, partner, Franklin Partners. “We are redeveloping this high-quality Class A office building that’s been under-utilized for many years to deliver a unique, millennial workforce- friendly destination.” “Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of

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suburban millennials – and they are beginning to demand the same types of workplace amenities as their more urban counterparts,” observes Roger Heerema, principal of Wright Heerema Architects. “From the baristas and wellness amenities to a foodie-friendly marketplace, we’re bringing Fulton Market to Naperville.” The Colliers International team of Francis Prock and David Florent, both principals in the firm’s office advisory group, will serve as exclusive leasing agents for the renovated offices. Franklin Partners and Wright Heerema have redeveloped properties together for more than 15 years in Chicago, its suburbs, and in Western Michigan. Bringing amenities typically found in popular city centers to smaller cities and suburbs, the two firms have transformed the workplace experience for commercial tenants, their employees, and the surrounding communities. Wright Heerema Architects is an architectural firm that provides integrated master planning, programming, architecture, and interior design services. Founded in 1995, Franklin Partners has developed more than 20,000,000 square feet of commercial real estate. Franklin Partners’ experience allows the company to be adaptable in an ever-changing real estate market while maintaining a reputation of delivering innovative solutions for under-utilized assets. Franklin Partners’ portfolio spans Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri, where the firm acquires, redevelops, builds, and owns real estate with a focus in industrial and office.

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1200 North College Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72703 Mark Zweig | Publisher mzweig@zweiggroup.com Richard Massey | Managing Editor rmassey@zweiggroup.com Christina Zweig | Contributing Editor christinaz@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Editor and Designer sparkman@zweiggroup.com Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com

MARK ZWEIG, from page 1

3)What your people put on social media could come back to hurt your firm. Because society is so polarized it means that anything anyone puts out there that isn’t a picture of their kid, cat, or what they ate for dinner, has the potential to alienate someone. I saw a great example of that the other day on Facebook where someone posted a video about houses built from recycled plastic blocks. It set off an argument when another person said we shouldn’t have so many plastic containers in the first place and re-using them like this takes the heat off of manufacturers to do something else. It seems like EVERYTHING could set off an argument. Even a cat pic could do so if the cat was out- side. Or a dog pic because it had a shock collar on it. Or a food pic because someone else thought it was unhealthy. And I haven’t even gotten into politics, religion, sports, and child-rearing philosophy. All of these things – even things you couldn’t imagine anyone would ever object to – could cause someone who is a client or potential client to not want to work with someone in your firm. 4)If you are ignoring social media as a marketing tool, you’re crazy. There’s still plen- ty that can be done with it for free. It is immediate. Your communications can go viral. There’s just so many positive aspects of it as a marketing tool. But to use it effectively takes some smarts. You can’t just post pics of endless employee birthday celebrations. There has to be something more substantive than that to communicate your specialized knowledge and unique understanding. Data. Success stories. Failure stories. Interesting project photos. Interviews. Links to blog posts. Ignoring social media today doesn’t make any sense. You’re too smart for that! MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER May 21, 2018, ISSUE 1249

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