Chicago

Getting here from the airport

From O'Hare

Public transit is from O'Hare to the TTS Chicago office is cheap, fairly quick, and convenient. Blue Line trains run from the airport to downtown 24/7 and take about 50 minutes. The closest stop to the office is Jackson.

From Midway

The smaller of the two Chicago airports, this one is a little closer to downtown-- it's only a 25 minute ride down the CTA Orange Line. The Library/State & Van Buren stops are the closest to the TTS office on your way in, though we recommend getting on at Adams/Wabash on your way out (unless you want to get a tour of the entire Chicago loop). While the Orange Line doesn't run 24/7 like the Blue, it does have regular service between 4:30 a.m. and 1 a.m., covering most reasonable flight departure/arrival times.

Getting around

Public transit

Chicago is extremely accessible by public transportation. Taxis are available but aren't generally necessary for getting around.

To take full advantage of Chicago's CTA trains and buses, we recommend getting a , external,Ventra card, available at any CTA train station. Ventra cards require a $5 deposit, which is refundable after registering, and the card stays valid for 5 years.

Fares from (but not to) either airport cost $5. All other normal fares are $2.25, and include one transfer to another CTA bus or train for $0.25 plus one free additional transfer if made within two hours of boarding.

Parking

Garage parking downtown is very expensive. "Early bird" rates start at $18, and normal rates start at $30. Street parking is hard to come by. See above recommendations on public transit.

Walking

Chicago is a very walkable city; plenty of hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, and bars are within walking distance of the office. Grant Park and the lakefront (including the lakefront path) are all close by.

Biking

Short-term bikes can be rented via , external,Divvy. $15 buys a 24-hour pass with unlimited 3-hour rides.

How do I...?

Enter the building for the first time (or if I don't have a GSA badge)?

During business hours (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), pass through security as a normal visitor. If arriving outside business hours, arrange for a TTS team member who has after-hours access to escort you.

Get my fingerprints taken and badge made?

Fingerprints and badge can be done at the security office on the second floor (Room 212 in the NE corner of the building).

Enter the building with a GSA badge

Your GSA ID grants you access to the building at any time between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The gates are located by the elevator banks on the south side of the building.

To set up turnstile access on your badge, make an appointment using the calendar , external,here. You'll need to know your PIN. If you don't know your PIN, or your badge is not activated, you'll need to make an appointment online for the badging office in room 212.

Access the building after hours?

If you need after-hours access, you can complete , external,TTS-only, this form. You will need a signature from Janie Burmeister (janie.burmeister@gsa.gov) as requesting agency official, and then send the form to jckfieldoffice@gsa.gov.

Book rooms for meetings?

In Chicago, you can book rooms using TTS-only, BookIt.

Connect to the Wi-Fi

See Logging in & Networks for details.

Who else from TTS usually works out of the Chicago office?

Most TTS Chicago-area staff work remotely full-time. However, you will often find Ethan Heppner (TTS Tech Operations) working from the Hub on the 35th floor Wednesdays. There is also a list of the local leadership of other FAS divisions (outside of TTS) on TTS-only, Insite.

Where are the...?

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are just down the hall, on the west side of the elevator bank.

Supplies

If you need pens, paper, and other office supplies, you can get them at CSS in room 3523, on the interior side of the southwest hallway on the 35th floor, just past the door.

CSS is also the place to go for mail. You can have packages addressed to [Your name] (GSA), 35th floor CSS, 230 S Dearborn, Chicago IL, 60604. Incoming mail is delivered to and outgoing mail is collected from the office twice daily.

Lockers

Lockers are available throughout the building. Reach out to clay.wilson@gsa.gov if you need an assigned locker.

Day-use lockers are also available in a few areas. You can find some of these on your left if you enter the southwest corner of the 35th floor through the south-facing door. Instructions can be found on the lockers themselves.

Printers

Refer to , external,TTS-only, our printer information document for more details.

Amenities

Recycling

Recycling and secure shredding bins can be found near the printer on the northwest side of the 35th floor.

Bike parking

Bike parking is available , external,TTS-only, in the basement of JCK (on the SM level), but you must get permission first by completing , external,TTS-only, this form and submitting it to jckfieldoffice@gsa.gov for their authorized signature. Once this is complete, you will be able to pick up a permit sticker at the JCK Field Office in Suite #200.

Health Center

There is a health center (Federal Occupational Health) near the southeast corner of the 3rd floor.

Other amenities

A more comprehensive guide of Chicago office amenities and policies can be found in TTS-only, a slideshow on this Insite page.

How do people dress?

Feel free to dress how you like! If you wear a T-shirt and jeans, that's fine. Sometimes folks wear hoodies. If someone has a meeting with agency folks, they may dress up more. We care more that you are comfortable and confident as yourself rather than following someone’s particular rules of formality.

We share our Chicago office space with other GSA folks who trend to dress business casual.

Who can I contact if I have questions about the office space?

TTS no longer has formal operations support for the Chicago office. However, , external,jckfieldoffice@gsa.gov should be able to answer most of your building-related questions. , external,Janie Burmeister may be able to help you with any questions specific to other FAS programs in Chicago and Region 5.