DOWNTOWN — Uber is expected to bring more than 2,000 new jobs to Chicago as the company expands its operations to open a new freight headquarters in old Main Post Office near the Chicago River Downtown.

On Monday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi as he announced a 10-year-lease at the old post office. The Uber Freight HQ will be the company’s second-largest offices in the country, housing Uber’s engineering operations, sales and accounting staff.

Khosrowshahi called Chicago the “heart of American’s transportation and logistics industry,” making it a logical place to grow the company’s freight headquarters. The new headquarters represents a $200 million annual workforce and real estate investment to the Chicago area, according to a press release.

“Uber has long recognized the incredible history, innovation, and talent that Chicago has to offer, and we’re excited about the thousands of new jobs our businesses will help bring as we become one of the city’s largest technology employers,” Khosrowshahi said.

Earlier this year, the Tribune reported the company planned to lease nearly half a million square feet of office space, becoming the largest tenant at the building.

The majority of hiring for new positions will take place in 2020, according to a city press release.

The company will partner with the City of Chicago and the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (CCWP) to reach job candidates from across the city. Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership will also receive a more than $80,000 grant as part of the new partnership.

Lightfoot called the announcement “a testament to Chicago’s place as …a global transit hub and world-class destination for the tech industry.”

“This investment also represents an important step in creating economic growth that is both dynamic and inclusive, with Uber leading by example through its collaboration with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, helping ensure the jobs of the future are available for every resident, and no Chicagoan is left behind,” Lightfoot said.

UBER EXPANDING IN CHICAGO: Mayor Lightfoot joins @Uber to announce the opening of its new freight headquarters in Chicago's Old Main Post Office, bringing more than 2,000 jobs. https://t.co/07ULlvWmwK — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) September 9, 2019

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