Second City Is Making Tribune Tower Its New Temporary Home

By Kate Shepherd in News on Oct 29, 2015 6:05PM

By Braden Nesin

Following an extra-alarm fire that damaged Second City's iconic Old Town building this summer, the comedy troupe is temporarily moving its offices to the Tribune Tower.

They've signed a 14-month lease for two floors of the tower starting Nov. 15, according to the Tribune. About 70 employees will work from the new Michigan Avenue location.

"We're making the best out of a tough situation," Second City CEO and co-owner Andrew Alexander told the Tribune. "We obviously prefer to be in our building, because it makes it more convenient to have everybody in one place."

The comedy troupe reopened its theaters about three weeks after the Aug. 26 fire but some of the offices were so gutted that renovations might take over a year. Some of the 100 displaced employees have been able to return to 1600 N. Wells St., but most will move to the Tribune Tower from a temporary space at One South Dearborn.

"We're going to bring some laughs to Tribune Tower for a year," Alexander said.

They could probably use it. It was announced earlier this month that the Tribune Tower is going up for sale.