All right, we admit it: we were skeptical. With all the new developers pitching their plans for office buildings in the West Loop, we thought there was no way in hell they could get the tenants — and thus, the money — to fill the space.

Well, it looks like we might have been a bit wrong. Lo and behold, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s crusade to bring new businesses to the city of Chicago has plopped a big old corporation right in the middle of the West Loop. This one smells like bacon.

Yes, processed meats titan Sara Lee has seen the light (and the multimillion-dollar TIF handout) and is coming to our part of town from the dull old suburbs.

In their joint announcement of the move, Emanuel and Sara Lee said they hoped that Sara Lee’s move could spur a new industry cluster focused on food-related companies.

Hmm. Northfield-based Kraft is very publicly pondering a split of its own that would fit in nicely. Emanuel’s denied that anything is afoot, but he denied he was negotiating with Sara Lee, too.

Two of the office towers in the area that we’ve covered over the past few months might be prime candidates for Kraft or other businesses: one at 108 N. Jefferson St., and another at Adams and Des Plaines streets.

One of those buildings, of course, has been mired in controversy. The development at Adams and Des Plaines is being pitched by Old St. Pat’s church, and it’s been adamantly opposed by neighbors in developments across the street The Edge and Haberdasher Square. A big new tenant like Kraft moving in across the street would surely irk them even more, as the foods juggernaut would most certainly want a big neon sign slapped on the façade.

But if Emanuel is looking to create a local office complex near Sara Lee, the St. Pat’s project would be undeniably well-situated to benefit. It’s just two very short blocks away from Sara Lee’s new meat HQ.

Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) is backing the Sara Lee project. He says it’s a good development, and the use of TIF dollars is appropriate to pull in a big-time name.

While Fioretti has asked for more community meetings on the St. Pat’s building, we think the developers have got to be salivating at the thought of Emanuel’s talk, and things get rushed along a little bit.

We won’t be surprised if this office renaissance — which we thought foolhardy 6 months ago — actually takes off.

---

By mike
Posted: 12/16/2011 10:31 PM

One corperation is a renaissance? I thought you were going to list off several new businesses...