Google's Thompson Center Reconstruction Set to Begin Next Year

Google has released renderings of its plans to renovate the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago, which will undergo a floor-by-floor gut rehab starting early next year. The building's iconic 17-story atrium will be preserved, while the base of the structure will be opened up to retail. The renovation will include a new glass façade, more natural light, a public plaza, and covered terraces. Google will occupy the building once the renovation is complete. Historic preservationists have praised the plan to preserve the atrium, and developers are urged to preserve other historic aspects of the building.