Five office and retail transactions at riverfront landmark follow recent modernization led by owner Friedman Properties

Friedman Properties, a Chicago-based real estate investment and development firm, today announced it has completed five leases at the Reid Murdoch Building, located along the Chicago River in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Comprising 107,000 square feet, the transactions included new, expanded and renewed office, retail and restaurant leases.

“The steady leasing activity at the Reid Murdoch Building speaks to the lasting appeal of places that intentionally combine work, dining, entertainment and retail experiences in a walkable urban setting,” said Albert Friedman, CEO and chairman of Friedman Properties. “In many ways, the building mirrors River North’s character, where a diversity of uses reflects the neighborhood’s balance of professional and social vibrancy.”

The leases include the following:

• New tenant, Smartly, an AI-powered advertising technology company with global offices around the world, signed for 5,000 square feet of office space.
• Storck USA, which has had offices in the building since 2002, expanded from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet. Headquartered in Berlin, Storck is a global confectionery producer with brands including Werther’s Original, Mamba, Riesen, merci, Knoppers and Toffifay.
• The Motion Agency, an independently owned, WBE-certified marketing agency, expanded from 20,000 to 25,000 square feet. The company’s headquarters have been located in the Reid Murdoch Building since 2018.
• Theater of the Mind, an immersive theatrical experience presented as part of Goodman Theatre’s centennial 2025/2026 season, recently signed a 19,000-square-foot ground-floor retail lease. Co-created by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and writer Mala Gaonkar, the permanent cultural attraction will have its first performances in spring 2026.
• River Roast renewed its 28,000-square-foot restaurant space overlooking the Chicago River. The eatery, which offers contemporary American tavern fare, opened in the Reid Murdoch Building in 2014.

Friedman Properties recently completed a renovation that included a new tenant lounge with a kitchen, expansive café, A/V system and flexible seating; two conference rooms; and a fitness center with cardio equipment, Peloton bikes, free weights and locker rooms with towel service. Additional upgrades included the buildout of a 5,388-square-foot speculative office suite with sweeping river views; refreshed common areas; and a lobby transformation featuring exposed concrete columns and brickwork, new terrazzo floors, a digital wall, a marble-and-steel concierge desk and a hand-painted mural.

Originally constructed in 1914, the Reid Murdoch Building long served as the office, warehouse and manufacturing facilities for Reid, Murdoch & Co., one of the country’s largest wholesale grocers. The building hosted traffic courts and other municipal offices for decades, following the city of Chicago’s purchase of the property in 1955.

Friedman Properties acquired the eight-story, 320,000-square-foot building in 1998 and executed a full redevelopment in 2002. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a Chicago Landmark.

About Friedman Properties:

Founded in 1970, Friedman Properties owns and operates a growing portfolio of more than 50 mixed-use properties encompassing over 5 million square feet concentrated in Chicago’s River North. Spanning the office, retail, restaurant, residential, parking, event and hospitality sectors, the firm’s diversified holdings include some of Chicago’s most iconic structures, including the Reid Murdoch Building, Courthouse Place, Tree Studios and the Medinah Temple. Friedman Properties is also recognized for leading ground-up developments that seamlessly integrate into historic neighborhoods, with such projects as the Moxy Chicago Downtown hotel and the “triplex” hospitality development at 501 N. Clark, home to Aloft, Hyatt Place and Fairfield Inn & Suites hotels, among many others. For more information, visit www.friedmanproperties.com.

The Reid Murdoch Building: Friedman Properties has completed 107,000 square feet of new, expanded and renewed office and retail leases at the Reid Murdoch Building, a landmark office property in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. (Credit Friedman Properties)