Global Vision, Local Meaning: How Tishman Speyer Builds Community in Chicago

Senior Managing Directors Ryan Botjer and Nooshin Felsenthal, along with Managing Director of Leasing Ellen May and CME Center General Manager Max Schroeder, share how Tishman Speyer brings its global expertise to Chicago—creating community through thoughtful placemaking, hospitality-driven service, and amenities that reflect the spirit of the city.

At Tishman Speyer, we believe that real estate is more than just physical space, it’s a platform for connection, creativity, and growth. Our global portfolio informs everything we do, but our expertise shines in how we translate that knowledge locally.

Our signature hospitality is a consistent expression of this philosophy. It’s not just an add-on or a standalone initiative, it’s a mindset that informs how we design, manage, and activate our spaces.

In Chicago, that commitment takes shape through thoughtful decisions rooted in the character of the city. “Hospitality is the heart and soul of the building experience,” says Ellen May, Managing Director of Leasing in Chicago. “It really shines in our Chicago portfolio, you can feel it from the minute you walk in.”

Amenities That Reflect the Cities They Serve

Chicago has emerged as a leader in shaping what thoughtful, experience-driven amenities can look like. We design our amenities with purpose, selecting offerings that align with each building’s identity and the people who use it.

“What’s unique about how Tishman Speyer approaches our assets,” says Nooshin Felsenthal, Managing Director and Regional Director for the Central U.S., “is that we weren’t trying to compete in who has the largest or most comprehensive set of amenities we are really looking at our assets holistically and thinking about how we can create the best experience for our customers.”

At 222 North LaSalle, that means a lobby renovation that blends the building’s 1920s Art Deco elegance with the inviting energy of a boutique hotel. Soft seating, warm textures, and a more fluid layout transform the space into a comforting destination, welcoming our customers with comfort, style, and a sense of community. Builder’s Brew, a new coffee bar that nods to the building’s original name, anchors the experience and invites people to mingle and enjoy the moment.

As Felsenthal notes, “It’s the activations surrounding them that make people feel like the best versions of themselves.” What matters most is how people feel in the space, and that they see themselves reflected in it.

Creating a sense of belonging begins with our teams. Many of our on-site staff come from hospitality and service backgrounds, bringing a natural understanding of attentiveness, professionalism, and warmth.

“We focus on training for our staffs and team members. It’s about setting the culture, so everybody is working towards the same goal of creating that hospitable environment – anticipating needs is really important,” says Max Schroeder, General Manager at the CME Center.

This mindset carries through every level of our operations. From front desk greeters to facility managers, every team member is not only trained in operational excellence, but also in the art of making people feel welcome. Tishman Speyer customer and Global Corporate Real Estate Head of Baird, Steven Raysich adds, “It doesn’t matter where you’re going in the country or in the globe – you know you’re going to be getting the same level of service… when you walk into a Tishman Speyer property.”

This people-first approach also shapes how we activate our spaces. Through ZO, our global amenity platform, we curate experiences that enrich personal and professional life—locally and globally. With ZO Global Access, our customers are part of an international network, free to book and enjoy more than 20 ZO spaces across our portfolio. These spaces host speaker series that reflect the unique energy of each city, pop-up retail featuring local artisans and brands, and wellness classes like yoga and fitness.

But ZO Global Access is more than a perk. It’s how we help people come together, offering places to gather, share common interests, and build relationships that reach beyond the workplace.


Applying Best Practices for Local Success

“Every market is different—each has its own idiosyncrasies and desires,” says Ryan Botjer, Senior Managing Director. “But at the basis of it, we’re trying to create communities, trying to create businesses, listen to our local teams. And then try to bring on top of that the experiences we’ve had internationally that have worked in other markets and try to apply those best practices to have local success.”

This balance of global expertise and local sensitivity empowers us to deeply understand the customer in each market and create environments that are not only functional, but emotionally resonant. We focus not just on bricks and mortars – but the feeling you get when you walk through our door. As Ellen May notes, “From the music to the furniture, to our greeters, people feel different in our buildings.”

Global Vision, Local Meaning: How Tishman Speyer Builds Community in Chicago

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