McDonald's Is Getting Ready For Its Move To Oprah's Old Studio

Sterling Bay — a Chicago-based real estate developer, investor, builder and innovator — has revealed a proposed design for McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD)'s new headquarters building, according to a report on CNN Money.

CNN Money said, "The unveiling of the $250 million development comes a week after the world's largest hamburger chain announced it signed a lease to move its corporate headquarters from the suburbs back to downtown Chicago in 2018."

The report, citing the Chicago Tribune, said Sterling Bay purchased the property, formerly home to Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios, for a combination of $30.5 million. The property is roughly 170,000-square-feet of space. The complex "had been at the center of Winfrey's daily talk show broadcast since it opened in 1990, housing the production facility for her syndicated 'Oprah Winfrey Show' through its finale in 2011," according to the joint reports.

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"We all know Oprah. We are definitely going to do something so people will remember who was there," CNN Money said, quoting Sterling Bay Managing Principal Andy Gloor. "We kept a lot of stuff from inside the studio and plan on using that in the building."

Last week, McDonald's said it signed a lease at 1045 W. Randolph St. in Chicago. The proposed 600,000-square-foot facility will also house "Hamburger University," one of seven worldwide locations, which provide a learning center for the company's future leaders and employees, according to McDonald's.

The move will mark the return of McDonald's to Chicago, where the company was headquartered from 1955 to 1971. The company has been based in Oak Brook, Illinois, for the past four decades.

CNN Money said, "McDonald's nearly 2,000 corporate employees will occupy roughly 80 percent of the office space, leaving roughly 40,000 square feet for retail."

"McDonald's will join other big corporations that have moved into the trendy West Loop area in recent years, including Google owner Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL)." Additionally, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) is set to move to the area in 2017.

At the time of writing, shares of McDonald's were up 0.65 percent to $121.41.