The Midwest region of the United States is home to some of the most impressive and versatile event spaces in the country. Whether you’re planning a large corporate conference, a small business meeting, or a full-scale trade show, the Midwest has something to offer for everyone. In this post, we’ll be highlighting the top ten Midwest conference and convention centers that will be sure to impress your attendees and make your event a success. From state-of-the-art facilities with stunning architecture to versatile and modular spaces, these centers have it all. So, without further ado, let’s dive in and explore the best conference and convention centers the Midwest has to offer!

The Full List

McCormick Place

With more than 2.6 million square feet of space, McCormick Place is one of the largest conference venues not only in the Midwest, but in North America. The venue is located 3 miles away from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, and can be easily accessed from the downtown area and from O’Hare and Midway airports. 

McCormick offers conferencing and convention space in four buildings, which are interconnected for the convenience of visitors. The venue can accommodate assembly-style seating for 18,000 people, and additionally offers a 10,000-seat arena, three theaters with a capacity of 300 seats each, and a large theater that sits more than 4,000 attendees.

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Notable Office Market Insights

•  Ongoing recovery is the main theme, continuing the trend seen in most office markets throughout 2021.
•  Positive absorption indicators.
•  Slight increase in rental rates.
•  Marked differences in occupancy levels, vacancy rates and general performance from city to city.
•  Remote working practices are still commonplace in key markets, such as San Francisco.
•  142 million square feet of office space currently under construction.

Lease Rates & Asking Rents

Recent data from Commercial Edge outlines a nationwide rental listing rate average of $38sq/ft in January 2022. These figures may be seen as somewhat inflated due to the number of high quality spaces currently listed due to being vacant, with Class A workspaces being listed at much higher prices.

According to Avison Young, Q4 average rental prices per square foot in gateway markets were as follows:

•  Manhattan: $84 sq/ft
•  San Francisco: $80 sq/ft
•  Washington DC: $54 sq/ft
•  Atlanta: $29 sq/ft
•  Boston: $38 sq/ft
•  Chicago CBD: $39 sq/ft

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In a previous blog post we examined the performance of the commercial real estate market in some major US cities. This is the second article in this series, which uses data from late 2020 and early 2021 to examine vacancy and supply rates in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Houston. These statistics illustrate the impact of COVID-19 on the commercial property rental market, as well as the types of properties that are holding strong in the face of negative trends.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a hub for creative, media, and entertainment companies, many of which are office-based. The city’s proximity to major cargo ports makes it convenient for logistics and distribution businesses, both of which have kept the industrial real estate market strong.

Offices

•  Vacancy rates in downtown Los Angeles are 21.5%.
•  In Q4 20202, there was more than 5.5 million square feet for vacant space, with 3.4 million feet being in the Financial District.
•  The majority of vacant inventory involves Class A offices.
•  Supply increased by more than 2 million square feet in the past 12 months.
•  No new supply is expected to enter the market as no projects are currently under construction in the CBD area.
•  Vacancy rates average 22.5% outside of the CBD, however, they reach 56% in the Fashion District.
•  Vacancy rates are just under 18% in the Greater Los Angeles area.

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The United States office market is characterized by its wide range of properties, ranging from affordable shared spaces to expensive trophy offices in some of the world’s most desirable business locations. In mid-2020, average gross rates for offices nationwide stood at $35 per square foot with the priciest offices located in New York and California. Within these states, the sub-markets commanding the highest rates are:

•   New York: Midtown Manhattan at $87 per square foot, specifically in Chelsea, the Plaza District, and Gramercy Park.
•   California: The Shoreline/Mountain View area, in which prices reach $130 per square foot, followed by Santa Monica and the SoMa district of San Francisco.

Average asking rates in other prime office markets are as follows:

•   Seattle: $70 per square foot, higher in Lake Union and the CBD.
•   Washington DC: $55 per square foot.
•   Cambridge and Boston: $40 and $80 per square foot, respectively.
•   Los Angeles: Averaging $45 per square foot.
•   Chicago: Exceeding $40 per square foot in the West Loop.
•   Raleigh-Durham: $35 per square foot for CBD properties.

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An Overview of Chicago’s Central Business District

Chicago’s central business district (also referred to as The Loop) is among the nation’s top three largest business hubs. Chicago’s CBD occupies a total area of approximately 1.6 square miles and is located in the eastern side of the city, right on the shores of Lake Michigan. The CBD can be sub-divided into five smaller areas: West Loop, South Loop, Michigan Boulevard, Printer’s Row, and New Eastside.

The Loop is a densely populated area where business and residential areas exist side-to-side. Unlike other CBDs in American cities, The Loop continues to experience rapid growth in terms of its permanent population, which exceeded 30,000 people in early 2016. The Loop attracts a large number of young professionals due to its convenient location, excellent transportation links, and supply of quality housing. The area is well served by buses, commuter trains, Amtrak services, and CTA trains that link the central business district with O´Hare and Midway international airports.

Chicago’s CBD among the country’s top 20 metropolitan areas with the highest business density, ranking 6th with nearly 33 business establishments per square mile. The Loop’s dynamic economy relies on a diverse industrial base and healthy mix of small, medium, and large companies. Read the rest of this entry »

As tech companies offer higher pay for developers, ten cities stand out in the U.S. as the highest paying for IT jobs. San Jose, San Francisco and New York offer the highest salaries. Those who are searching for the highest paying IT jobs obviously need to head west. Statistics from the recruiting company CyberCoders points out that the average salaries in San Jose and San Francisco average $14,000 more than in third ranked New York City.

The top 10 list does contain cities scattered throughout the U.S. where lucrative jobs can be found. Major cities like Boston, Washington D.C., Dallas and Chicago are included on the list. The greatest increase in salaries has come in mobile development positions. However, IT salaries have gone up across the board in the last year. Individuals who acquire multiplatform skills and are able to design and code within the constantly changing world of mobile applications become the highest paid workers.

The cities that rank highest in pay for IT jobs in high-range, mid-range and low-range salaries are:
1. San Jose, CA
2. San Francisco, CA
3. New York, NY
4. Washington, D.C.
5. Boston, MA
6. Los Angeles, CA
7. Brooklyn, NY
8. Philadelphia, PA
9. Chicago, IL
10. Dallas, TX

The Roche Group is pushing back the frontiers of healthcare in 150 countries, employing about 80,000 workers. It has become one of the largest research-based healthcare groups. Genentech, a subsidiary, has led the biotech industry for over 30 years. They use human genetic information to develop specialized medicines for life-threatening diseases. The headquarters for Roche pharmaceutical operations are located in the U.S. Their philosophy is that the employees are their most important asset and they are dedicated to maintaining a great work place along with providing the best salaries for IT workers. Their CRM Techs provide expert technical information for Genentech’s Commercial Operations. They are responsible for maintaining project work, enhancements, and problem solutions. They work with onsite contractors and a Poland-based development team. These workers must be familiar with a variety of databases, with a strong technical foundation that includes advanced structured programming. Salary compensation for these positions is among the highest in the field.

CompuTech, located in Clarkstown, NY offers Desktop Support Tech positions with a world renowned computer manufacturing company. These are contract positions requiring backgrounds 5 years’ experience in both HP hardware and software, Windows XP and Windows 7 maintenance. Salaries are commensurate with experience and skill levels.

Similar positions may be found in any of the cities listed above. Depending on the applicant’s skills and training, and where he wants to work, high-paying IT jobs are available throughout the country.

Elite Staffing
Elite Staffing has been connecting employers to new employees since 1991. Its mission is to provide an extensive screening, interview, and networking service to both employers and job-seekers. Elite Staffing is one of the many employment companies in Chicago that deal with a wide range of industries. They don’t simply find employees for a certain type of industry, and this makes them very popular.

AppleOne
AppleOne is unique among the various employment agencies in the Chicago, Illinois area. Instead of simply connecting job-seekers to employers, AppleOne provides a large number of employment resources as well. They offer resume services, a job-hunting guide, and a newsletter as part of those resources. Due to this focus, AppleOne is focused on helping their job-seekers find long-term, career-oriented employment.

BPS Staffing

BPS Staffing bills itself as a ‘full service’ staffing company. Their focus is both long and short-term employment, and they have a number of resources to help you reach your employment goals. For job-seekers, BPS Staffing has one of the best track-records in Downtown Chicago for employment. For employers, BPS Staffing conducts a very extensive screening process to ensure only the best applicants make their way through.

Banner Personnel
Banner Personnel is the premier employment agency in Chicago that specializes in ‘office-based’ work. Their entire service is set up to help link employers in the administrative, academic, and insurance industries with qualified individuals. They accomplish this by conducting an intensive screening process that ensures only the most qualified, motivated workers make their way through the process. Banner Personnel is a member of the National Association of Personnel Services and the Illinois Search and Staffing Association.

A-Pro Temps
A-Pro Temps is one of the most independent staffing agencies in the city. They are a privately owned business that specializes in every aspect of the employment process. They are especially popular as a direct-hire agency, and they have a great track-record of positive employment results. Their screening process is a little more lax than other agencies. Though A-Pro Temps is located in downtown Chicago, it serves the surrounding suburban community as well.

The Esquire Staffing Group
The Esquire Staffing Group has been connecting employers and job-seekers for over half a century. They are a family owned business that connects employers to full-time staff, temporary staff, and even event staff. The screening process at Esquire Staffing Group is among the strictest in Chicago. This means that applicants need to be prepared to take the application process very seriously.

First Associates, LTD
First Associates is a very popular staffing company in Chicago. It boasts the most easy-to-use website of the various employment agencies on this list. Through the web portal, employees can do everything from job-hunt to access useful employee resources. First Associates is highly regarded in the banking, financial, legal, and accounting industries. Despite this, they also help many people find work in other industries.

A Personnel Commitment
A Personnel Commitment is one of a few successful ’boutique’ personnel firms in Chicago. They have a very good track-record in executive recruitment and mid-level staffing. Employers looking to fill an executive position will find that the screening process here is much more personalized than at other staffing agencies. Instead of relying on an institutionalized screening process, A Personnel Commitment looks at the unique qualities of each applicant.

The Larko Group
The Larko Group is a trusted supplier of workforce solutions to over 200 employers in the Chicago area. The Group has been working closely with employers to meet their needs for decades. They have developed a reputation for giving each of their employment partners a personalized experience that focuses on each clients unique needs. The Largo Group even sends an employment specialist to the office of each client to get a better understanding of what the client needs.

The Chicago Hire Company
The Chicago Hire Company spends a lot of time working with employers to figure out exactly what they’re looking for in an employee. The focus here is on building long-term relationships with their clients. As a result, they are noted for having a great deal of success in matching employers with a qualified workforce.

If your drive to work consists of dodging around potholes then you’ll be pleased to hear that the NY Department of Transportation is taking full advantage of the mild winter to get some much needed road repairs taken care of.

Using specially designed Pothole Killer vehicles, Patch Management has been contracted to fill in the thousands of potholes that plauge New York’s drivers. Repairs are already underway in Long Island’s Nassau and Suffolk Counties with more teams due to be dispatched throughout the state over the coming weeks and months.

The innovative Pothole Killer system only requires one operator and is much faster, safer and more environmentally friendly than the traditional method of using crews to combat the dreaded holes. Requiring less than two minutes per pothole, the road is then ready for traffic again – no mess, no fuss, no waiting.

And New York isn’t the only state benefiting from this time and cost saving technology. Patch Management has used their Pothole Killers to repair roads in DC, Pennsylvania, New Orleans and Chicago.

Do you know of a pothole that could use some technologically advanced attention? Call the hotline on 1-800-Pothole.

Chicago Restaurant Week is an event that attracts Chicagoans, Midwesterners and even international folks every year. The event is designed to celebrate the rich history of Chicago restaurants. The event actually lasts for two weeks, and visitors can enjoy competitive prices at top-rated restaurants in the area. Chicago Restaurant Week is also intended to boost the economy and increase profits for restaurants in the area.

Growing the Profitability of Restaurants

All types of restaurants enjoy profitability during Chicago Restaurant Week. From sophisticated venues to the local diner, restaurants generally enjoy an eight percent jump in profits during Chicago Restaurant Week. Participation in the event has been drastically increasing every year. As restaurant owners discover the advantages of becoming part of Chicago Restaurant Week, they have joined in on the fun. In 2013, a total of 286 restaurants participated in the event. Restaurants served over 513,000 meals during Chicago Restaurant Week in 2013. Read the rest of this entry »