J.C. Anderson is pleased to announce the completion of a 27,000-square-foot office expansion for PayPal at the iconic Merchandise Mart in Chicago. The project significantly expands PayPal’s existing workplace, creating a flexible, technology-driven environment designed to support continued growth while seamlessly integrating with the company’s current office.
Designed by Partners by Design, the expansion includes more than 100 new workstations to accommodate future hiring, along with a variety of collaborative spaces including large, medium, and small conference rooms, huddle rooms, phone rooms, a library, and a multipurpose room. The project also introduced a new pantry, storage room, IT/build room, IDF room, and UPS room, while renovating PayPal’s existing restrooms to create a cohesive employee experience throughout the office. A key feature of the project was maintaining design continuity between the existing workplace and the new expansion. Sealed concrete flooring, decorative pendant lighting, custom finishes, and curated artwork commissioned by PayPal combine to create an engaging environment that reflects the company’s collaborative culture. A new double-door freight entrance was also incorporated to improve building operations by separating deliveries from the main employee entrance.
The project required extensive coordination across multiple stakeholders to manage PayPal’s specialized materials, custom artwork installations painted by 3 different artists, national flooring vendors, and IT infrastructure. J.C. Anderson worked closely with PayPal’s technology team to ensure critical spaces, including the IDF room, were completed and ready for equipment installation at precisely the right time.
“This project required an exceptional level of coordination from start to finish,” said Josh Smith, Project Executive at J.C. Anderson. “From integrating the expansion seamlessly with PayPal’s existing office to managing specialized vendors, artwork installations, IT infrastructure, and strict security protocols, every phase demanded close collaboration. We’re proud to have delivered a workplace that supports PayPal’s continued growth while reflecting the quality and innovation the company is known for.”
The construction team for J.C. Anderson was led by Project Executive Josh Smith, Assistant Project Manager Fernando Chavez and Superintendent Glenn Panfil. Partners by Design provided architectural services, Jones Lang LaSalle served as project manager, and Vornado Realty Trust managed the property.
