Clayco, Inc., a company that finances, develops, designs and builds large, complex projects, plans to move its national headquarters from Missouri to Chicago, Illinois, creating hundreds of jobs.

The firm’s new headquarters will be located in over 30,000 square feet on two floors at the 35 E. Wacker Building, also known as the Jeweler’s Building in Chicago’s loop. Clayco plans to keep its St. Louis office intact where key projects continue.

The 28-year old firm, with about 1,000 employees of which 280 are located at its Chicago office, expects to nearly double the workforce at its new Windy City campus. Clayco will hire new architects, designers and project managers; expanding its concrete and infrastructure business in Illinois, and continuing growth through acquisition. Subsidiaries include a full-service architecture and design firm, Forum Studio, and Concrete Strategies Inc.

“Clayco is embarking on an exciting period in our company’s history. With a record backlog of projects, and increasing travel around the country and the globe, we see Chicago as an integral part of our expansion strategy as we add talent and build Clayco into the nation’s leading full-service real estate development, architecture, engineering and construction firm,” said Bob Clark, Clayco’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Chicago is simply the best location for the company given our growing national and international design and engineering business,” said Clark. “The pro-growth, pro-business leadership of Mayor Emanuel, the incredible commitment to the city’s infrastructure and transportation hubs is second to none in the United States. In addition, for a growing company like ours to be in a world class city attracting the best and brightest young minds in our industry matches with our goals and objectives.”

“Clayco is exactly the sort of company we are looking to attract to Chicago,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I am committed to bringing new and technologically advanced businesses to Chicago, especially those that want to grow and expand their businesses, and Clayco is exactly this sort of firm. I look forward to working with them as they make Chicago their new home.” Clayco is not seeking or receiving any subsidies as part of this move, the Mayor’s Office said.

Clayco will work with City Colleges of Chicago as part of the “College to Careers” program, and will seek to design curriculum that will be useful in training students for exciting careers in the real estate and design industries, as well as training them for the business and technology aspects of the industry.