TDG, OptimalPATH Announce Chicago iCampus

Hybrid tech center will cover 200,000 s.f. in West Loop

By Rich Miller
CarrierHotels News Staff

August 15, 2000 -- Telecom Development Group (TDG) & OptimalPATH Digital Network, Inc. announced that they will open an advanced hybrid technology center in Chicago's booming West Loop area.
Scheduled to open in January 2001 at 1224 West Van Buren, the 200,000-square-foot West Loop iCampus is designed to accommodate a carrier hotel, ISP/ASP, remote data center, co-location facilities, data warehousing, disaster recovery and a new business incubator.
The developers said the facility will be one of the first hybrid technology centers in Chicago. A second facility will be built on the adjacent land.
"The name of the game in the telco market is speed to market,'' said Jack Pressman, chief executive officer, OptimalPATH. ``Our affiliate nexgen Building Solutions ... has the proven track record to deliver a state-of-the-art carrier hotel facility quickly.''
The West Loop iCampus also is within a HUBZone, providing federal contracting assistance to qualified small businesses that locate there. The building was built in the late 1930s and most recently housed True Value Hardware offices and distribution center. The seven-story building also includes an 8,000 square foot penthouse on the top floor.
The new iCampus is located in an area attracting many e-commerce companies. With proximity to all the major expressways, trendy restaurants and growing gallery scene, the West Loop is being favorably compared to SoHo. More than 7,000 new and converted residences have been occupied in the area in the past two years.
The building includes ceiling heights of up to 18 feet, floor loads of up to 1,000 pounds per square foot, redundant access to multiple fiberoptic providers, redundant power sources and a power supply of up to 100 watts per square foot.
TDG and OptimalPATH say they have formed partnerships with technology and real estate firms to roll out more than 15 million square feet of hybrid technology centers around the country. The West Loop iCampus will be linked to TDG's network of iCampuses, including planned centers in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, Tempe (Arizona), Detroit, Dallas, Denver and Seattle.