By Neil Doyle
BLOOMINGTON – A vision company has announced its leasing space in the former State Farm building in downtown Bloomington.
Keplr Vision has signed a multi-year lease for the company’s new headquarters to be located at 112 East Washington Street, according to a news release Thursday.
The building was sold last year to Urban Equity Properties of Rockford, who intended to convert the space into luxury residential lofts. Urban Equity Media Relations Director Jim Hagerty said the vision for the space has changed and they believe it is a better fit as a Class A commercial office building.
According to the release, the top four floors will house over 100 Keplr team members, including the executive team, business support services, and supply chain management departments. The atrium will be used to host various events and functions.
“I am thrilled to be making this announcement because I know how much it means to the people of Bloomington to see the State Farm Building come back to life,” said Keplr CEO and co-founder Nick Williams. “There have been a lot of negative headlines about downtown lately, and it’s time for that to change!”
“Keplr Vision’s move is a game-changer for downtown Bloomington,” said Justin Fern, Founding Principal of Urban Equity Properties.
Keplr has the option to expand into an additional floor, as the company has projected it will hire at least 75 additional team members by the end of 2020.
Listed as a contributing property to the National Register of Historic Places, construction began on the 13-story art deco building in 1929 and continued through 1945. Encompassing much of downtown Bloomington, it served as the corporate headquarters for State Farm until 1974. Keplr is planning only minimal changes to the space, electing to preserve much of the historic look and feel of the building.
Keplr Vision began in Bloomington in 2005, with a single All About Eyes practice located on Veterans Parkway and Washington Street. The brand quickly grew to over 20 practices throughout Illinois and Iowa, and in 2017, with the backing of Imperial Capital Group of Toronto, Canada, began partnering with independent optometry practices across the United States.
Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]
