Uber signs expansion deal in Chicago

Chicago, USA — Uber announces its major expansion into Chicago after signing a 10-year lease at 601W Companies’ redevelopment project.

Furthermore, the rideshare company will allegedly be taking up more than 460,000 ft. of office space. The new Uber office is located at 433 W. Van Buren St., becoming the new tenant of the Old Main Post Office.

Construction will take place this spring, with the expected completion date on January 5, 2020.

Moreover, the new office will be Uber’s second-largest office behind its San Francisco headquarters.

“Uber is excited to deepen its roots in Chicago,” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement. “The city continues to attract the top talent that Uber needs to continue to thrive, and we remain committed to working together to have a positive impact in the local community.”

However, several taxi firms have already expressed their disagreement with the major ramping up of Uber’s presence in Chicago. In fact, in October of last year, representatives from Cab Drivers United rallied at City Hall to protest against Uber. Most specifically, they aimed to seek legislation limiting the number of Uber and Lyft cars in the city. This is due to the fact that dozens of taxi drivers are struggling to earn following the introduction of rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft.

“The vast majority of ride-share drivers are making minimum wage — before they factor in expenses,” 36-year-old taxi driver Martin stated. “A lot of drivers might actually be operating at a loss.”

Despite these efforts, the ridesharing company seems already content with their new headquarters.

“This is just the first of several announcements to be made in the coming weeks that we look forward to sharing with the people of Chicago,” Uber spokesperson said.