Chicago

Getting here

From O'Hare International Airport

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 Airport

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 pretty much any reasonable flight departure/arrival times.

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 Divvy. $15 buys a 24-hour pass with unlimited 3-hour rides. Remember to bring your own helmet when using Divvy!

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 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.

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 inside the office 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. After-hours access is allowed, but you will have to log your name in a guestbook. The gates are located by the elevator banks on the south side of the building.

To set up turnstile access on your badge, visit room 200. 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 at the badging office in room 212.

Attend onboarding?

GSA onboarding is typically done on alternating Mondays at 1:00 p.m. in Room 3722, in the NW corner of the 37th floor. TTS onboarding varies by division-- you should receive an email confirming the times that you will meet with your team. To allow yourself enough time to get set up on the GSA network, please arrive at 8 a.m. on the second day of your first week, and Ethan Heppner (TTS Chicago's office operations coordinator) will help walk you through.

Access the building after hours?

After-hours access between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. is allowed with a GSA badge. Log your name with security, and use the handicap-accessible south entrance.

Book rooms for meetings?

In Chicago, you can book rooms using BookIt.

If the room that you want isn't coming up, that means it's probably been booked already. Feel free to ping Ethan if you have any difficulties.

Recommended rooms: 3380: room used for All-Hands on the NE corner of floor 33; it seats up to ten people.

Connect to the Wi-Fi

See Logging in & Networks for details.

Where are the...?

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are just down the hall from the TTS office.

Mail

Incoming mail is delivered to and outgoing mail is collected from the office twice daily.

Lockers

Lockers are to your left and right when you walk inside the door.

Supplies

If you need pens, paper, and other office supplies, there are a few items above the coffee making area.

Printers

Refer to our printer information document for more details.

Law department offices

37th floor.

Amenities

Transit subsidy

All GSA employees are eligible for transit subsidies which cover the cost of your Metro travel.

See the Transit Benefit page for information on enrollment and deactivation. This page on InSite has additional information.

Bike parking

Bike parking is available in JCK. See the JCK Field Office in Suite #200 for the form to request bike parking access.

Note you will need your the following info to secure a bike sticker:

• bike's make
• bike's model
• bike's serial number

Health Center

There is a health center on the 3rd floor.

Gym

There is a gym inside the Federal building that you can access by paying a yearly fee. Email Harold Tyler for more details.

Recycling

Recycling, including battery recycling, is available on the 2nd floor of our building

Food and coffee

Here is a Google Map with a lot of options.

Dollop and Intelligentsia are the current fan favorites for coffee. If you like darker roasts, Lavazza may be up your alley.

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.