URW Announces Leasing Opportunities at O'Hare Terminal 5

With the expansion of Terminal 5 and the addition of domestic carriers already underway, Unibail‐Rodamco‐Westfield has announced four new leasing opportunities in the modernized, expanded Terminal 5.

The Terminal 5 leasing opportunity is open to all businesses, and URW has evolved its Competitive Evaluation Process (CEP) to encourage small, local business and ACDBE participation. In addition, to better serve customers, URW is challenging bidders to deliver proposals with an eye toward technology and innovation, customer trends and that highlight their commitment to sustainability and positive social impact.  

These four leasing opportunities represent 5,680 square feet and are separate from the RFP packages released by CDA last month. Three of the spaces are additions to the Terminal 5 post‐security commercial offering, created out of existing space that wasrepurposed for the dining and retail program. The fourth space will be on the arrivals level pre‐security.

“Terminal 5 is changing, its customers are changing, and the commercial program is evolving with it,” said Brian Petrow, URW’s vice president and asset lead at O’Hare. “The addition of new carriers and routes is bringing an even more diverse, dynamic customer base into the terminal, and we want the experience to reflect that.”

To make this CEP offering more inclusive, URW has taken a number of steps to encourage small business and ACDBE participation. Each space can be bid on individually or as a group, allowing smaller ventures to bid on a single space instead of multiple at one time. In addition, URW has streamlined the proposal process and reduced several requirements to remove barriers to entry.

URW are also encouraging firms without previous experience doing business in the airport to attend a virtual information session that will provide information about how to pursue these opportunities. The session is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT on Wednesday, Aug. 11.

Construction of the Terminal 5 expansion began in March 2019 to add 10 new gates and 25 percent more gate capacity. The expanded terminal will include approximately 350,000 square feet of new space, including hold rooms, terminal amenities and premium dining and retail options.

The deadline for proposals is Sept. 29.