A former Tyson Foods office building in Chicago will have a new purpose as it was recently purchased by The Community Solution Education System and The Chicago School.
The building has been vacant and unused for several years, as Tyson closed the facility shortly after it announced in 2022 that the company would close offices in Chicago and Downers Grove, Illinois, and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, and consolidate those offices into the company’s corporate headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas.
The Chicago School describes itself as a leading nonprofit university that has trained more than 22,000 alumni for careers that improve the health of individuals, organizations, and communities since 1979. Thirty years later, The Chicago School became the founding institution of The Community Solution Education System.
According to a press release from The Chicago School, the 247,000-square-foot former Tyson Foods office building will accommodate about 1,800 students, faculty and staff from The Community Solution Education System and The Chicago School.
The repurposed building will include lecture halls, classrooms, laboratories, and areas for collaborative learning and working. Additionally, it will be re-designed to host large public events and serve as a hub for convening community leaders in the mental and physical health field.
The school building is expected to officially open in 2025.
The campus is also expected to increase pedestrian traffic, enhancing business growth opportunities in the district.
“Congratulations to The Community Solution Education System and The Chicago School on the acquisition of 400 S. Jefferson Street and their unwavering commitment to our great city,” stated Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I am especially excited about plans to transform spaces for community leaders in mental and physical health and plans dedicated to addressing inequities. We look forward to welcoming the nearly 2,000 students, employees, and guests in the years ahead.”
