Equity Office has opened a Cyber Café there, a "people space" that combines specialty coffee service and furnishings that are found in nearby upscale coffee shops with high-speed personal computers and laptop connections. The idea is to give tenants a change of scenery during the work day without having to leave the building located in the Downtown financial district, even though there are numerous restaurants and shops nearby. The company has tried the concept outdoors at properties in Atlanta and Boston.

"The new Cyber Café provides customers with a change of scenery and the unique ability to browse the Internet using high speed connections," says Bob Herber, leasing director for 1 N. Franklin. The building already featured conference facilities, concierge service, a fitness center, delicatessen and sundry shop.

The 763-sf Cyber Café is on the third floor of the 36-story, 618,000-sf building. Allied Riser Communications provided the two high-speed personal computers and additional laptop hook-ups. Furniture was provided Teknion. Equity Office customers have use of a cappuccino machine. A collection of newspapers and magazines along with background music add to the coffee shop ambience.

Equity Office Properties does not take full credit for the idea. "We developed the 'people space' concept as a direct result of customer input," says Arvid Povilaitis, senior vice president for the Chicago region.

With its merger with Speiker Properties, Equity Office will own and operate 616 office buildings consisting of 124 million sf nationwide. It will be No. 1 in nine of the top 10 markets, with the exception of New York.