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oca-Cola's interest in a historic building in Chicago's Fulton Market district may put a major redevelopment project on hold. The Atlanta-based beverage giant is reportedly considering leasing over 40,000 square feet at the 19th-century Lake Street Lofts building, which was previously planned to be converted into a 140-room Drift hotel.

    Fulton Street Companies purchased the six-story building in 2022 for $49 million and had initially envisioned turning it into office space. However, plans shifted towards a hotel conversion under the Drift brand. Coca-Cola's potential move could force the developer to reconsider its original vision or scrap the hotel plans altogether.

    The Fulton Market district has undergone significant transformation over the past decade, evolving from an industrial hub into a mixed-use area with over 2,000 residential units currently under construction or recently completed. Major companies like Google and McDonald's have established corporate headquarters in the region, and Coca-Cola could soon join their ranks if the deal goes through.

    The company operates two office spaces in Chicago but would likely consolidate those locations into the Lake Street Lofts building, providing more room for its expanding operations in the area.