Ace Turns Former McDonald’s Home Into New HQ

OAK BROOK, IL -- Ace Hardware, a retailer and distributor, turned the former McDonald’s corporate campus into its new headquarters for its 1,100 employees in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Ace has made its home in Oak Brook, for 50 of its 100 years in business. Renovating the former McDonald’s corporate campus, it worked with CBRE Design Collective and Skender Construction to transform the 80-acre campus into a vibrant, modern, bright and productive workplace.

Seeking an updated corporate environment with flexibility, amenities and space to support continued growth, the company was able to remain in Oak Brook. For the first time, Ace's more than 1,100 Oak Brook-based employees now share a single building, creating an even closer sense of community and collaboration.

Originally constructed in 1988, the Class A office building’s Brutalist-style was designed by Dirk Lohan, the grandson of renowned modern architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In 2009, the U.S. Green Building Council certified the existing building at its highest level – LEED O+M Platinum.

After McDonald’s left in 2019, the building had been vacant until Ace Hardware’s move in October 2023.

“We feel blessed to have found a space that not only offers us a runway for more growth, but also provides a spectacular environment to reinforce our culture and inspire our people,” said John Venhuizen, president and CEO Ace Hardware.

Many of the original building’s architectural elements were reused and repurposed for Ace Hardware, including a large center atrium and skylights. Daylight and biophilic views also are prioritized with floor-to-ceiling windows and access to outdoor terraces, patios, more than 2.5 miles of walking paths and two ponds.

Many of the enclosed conference and collaboration rooms have interior-facing glass walls to take advantage of the available natural light and to maintain connection and transparency.

To help achieve the four-story, 250,000-square-foot office renovation’s modern aesthetics, performance requirements and LEED sustainability goals, CBRE Design Collective specified acoustic stone wool ceiling panels.

Reinke Supply Companies supplied 180,000 square feet of Rockfon’s smooth, white, 2-by-2-foot ceiling tiles to Anning-Johnson Company.

Installation of Rockfon’s ceiling systems was coordinated with Skender Construction to leverage flexible phasing and work sequencing to streamline the six-month construction schedule, allowing for an on-time and on-budget project delivery.

Demonstrating the benefits of its inherent material properties, the ceiling panels are UL GREENGUARD Gold Certified for Office and Educational Environments. Contributing to healthy indoor air quality, low-VOC products with this certification are recognized by LEED and other green building and occupant well-being programs.

“Our motivation has never been to be the biggest, but to be the best. This beautiful new property further enables the great Ace team to do just that,” said Venhuizen.