McDonald’s Move Does Not Worry Oak Brook Developer

Jim McDonald of Ryan Cos. says there is considerable demand for office build-to-suits in the Oak Brook area.

CHICAGO—McDonald’s imminent decision to leave Oak Brook for downtown Chicago has many observers wondering what could fill such a big hole in the market, and whether that vacancy will imperil other development plans.

But Jim McDonald, vice president of development for Ryan Companies US, Inc., which has an ambitious vision for Oak Brook, tells GlobeSt.com that a lot of users won’t find the 1980s-era campus very enticing. In fact, since so much suburban office product was built decades ago, there is a robust demand for customized spaces that provide the open-floor plans and amenities that tenants now consider essential.