Prominent developers sign on to connectivity certification platform

A group of 16 prominent Chicago-area developers has committed for their buildings to be certified by a platform that rates office buildings based on internet speed and reliability.

The firm, WiredScore, was founded in New York in 2013 by a group that included the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. It launched a Chicago office earlier this year headed by Christine Torres.

The platform rates buildings on their technological capacity, and the building owners then use the ratings to market their properties to tenants as having the necessary infrastructure.

The list of developers committing to WiredScore certification for their Chicago office properties includes 601W Companies, Beacon Capital Partners, EQ Office, Farpoint Development, GlenStar Asset Management, Golub & Company, Hines, The John Buck Company, Mark Goodman & Associates Inc., Riverside Investment & Development Company, Walton Street Capital and Zeller Realty Group.

The 23 properties total 26 million square feet of commercial space.

A number of buildings have already achieved WiredScore certification, including City Hall and the Chicago Board of Trade Building.

Kushner last year looked to divest his stake in the company after taking on the role of senior White House advisor. He eventually sold to a group that included Bessemer Venture Partners and Los Angeles-based Fifth Wall Ventures. 

The sale was part of Kushner’s efforts to divest himself of his business ties.

WiredScore received early support from then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Kushner told The Real Deal at the time the concept of the business was to improve the level of information available to tenants.