James R Thompson Center

i usually write like 3 or four paragraphs about experiences.
I will just say this. If you need your state id or license renewed then you will have to wait less then 20 minutes. This is invaluable if you dont have like 6 hours to go wait in deerfield or Morton Grove

I worked in this building as an intern for 2 months. Gross, just gross. Yeah, that ugly blue carpet? It’s the original carpet from 1985. The lockers in each department have the carpet on the locker doors… why…why was that ever thought to be okay? If you’re not in an internal office, you can literally here everything that’s going on. Everything echoes. You can also see everything since it has that open design (heck you can always hear any outside protests going on). I get being artsy, but this is a government building. Since when should government buildings be open? Anyone can just walk right into your cubicle. Granted, you can lock up documents in offices or the built-​in filing cabinets, but seriously? Also, for what this building cost… which is just exorbitant and ridiculous… I expected better. It’s always either too hot or too cold, it’s disgustingly dusty, and I always feel the overwhelming need to wash my hands when I leave. The inside is breathtaking at times and I can truly appreciate it for what it is, but then I sit down to do my work and those feelings go away very quickly. The Pedway is great, so I’ll give this building that much. Lastly, I read somewhere that the orange-​y color was compared tomato soup red, and yep… can’t unsee that once it’s been said. At first I was fine with the color, and then I just saw can upon can of Campbell’s red tomato soup.

This is a prime example of the incompetence and past arrogance of state government. Built at an exorbitant expense and under a foolish wasteful overrated governor, who personally selected the design, it to was and is an architectural boondoggle. Although occupying a large parcel oof very expensive real estate, the use able interior space is minimal since public office a are located only on the periphhery. The building was designed with an absurd hvac system which required a redesign, again at the expense of taxpayers. As for the services provided, remember this is the time warped state of Illinois currently being effectively bankrupt with residents owing tens of thousands on average in state debt while the ignorant corrupt pols of BOTH parties are reelected in recognition of electoral ignorance and selfish promotion of individual interests rather than public welfare. Now the government has proposed selling the building after it has suffered mold and insect infestations. I would stay away. You could become ill. REMEMBER the state abbreviation is lLL. Should be renamed Villainous in recognition of its government.

I come here for the food court occasionally and it has a good selection. The atrium of the building is really cool too.

As of June 8, 2015, Payless Shoe Store is closed.

With a month left on my Indiana license, I finally decided to take the plunge and become an official resident of Illinois.
Overall, the process was quick and the employees were helpful. I had my new, shiny license within 45 minutes. After four years of procrastination, I was kicking myself for putting this off for so long.
Rookie Tip: Be sure to have all of your documents ready before approaching the ticketing counter. This might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised by the amount of people who had to dig through their IKEA-​sized bag of things to find their Social Security card.

Down town Chicago you have to go inside this federal building access to take the train and and the lower level they had all kind of fast food restaurants
Burger king
Dd
Pizza
Pop eyes
Etc etc

location reminds me hotel sherman, my grand pa use to work there
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Ugly looking building… but to each their own I guess. They have a lot of offices here and in terms of selection in the food court, it is very nice and convenient. I feel like the Sbarro’s there has withstand the test of time and has been there since I use to work across the street from the Thompson Center — 12-​years ago. Overall, this place has all you can ask for — food, DMV, birds somehow nesting in the indoor shrubbery, and homeless people enough to shame the smell of urine from the CTA subway station nearby (not really subway… its near the Elevated station of Clark/​Lake, but the thought of urine always reminds me of the subway).

The security lines are inefficient. The huge open rotunda means that well over half the building is unusable space that still needs to be heated and cooled. The toilets are electric so if the power goes out the toilets can’t flush. It is one of the most inefficient buildings in the United States. It is fittingly home to one of the most inefficient state governments on the United States.

Visible cockroaches in restaurants. Seriously. So disgusted.

Too bad… it was spectular when it opened but now is showing its age… duck tape on the carpets, etc.
Know you have to have security but the lines here are very inefficient.
Good place to get your state ID or driver license, tho…

It’s a pretty cool looking building, but other a glimpse and maybe a slice from Sbarro you don’t really ever want to have to go to the Thompson Center. If you are there you’re either doing something super annoying like renewing your plates or sending something out through the post office.
Nothing is labeled well so it probably won’t be an in and out experience, but if you do have to be here it’s cool to get an IMAX Theater like feeling when you walk in.

My sister out me on to all the activities the Thompson center has. When I’m looking for something to do during lunch time I usually go here to check out the art gallery, musical performances, or cultural events. They also have a pretty decent fast food court. Not to mention you can renew your license plate sticker here :) Convenience!

Recently, I had to switch from the Green line to the Brown Line so I thought I’d check out The Thompson Center. Like most Chicagoans, I have been in this building for some odd reason. The Thompson Center is one of the most unique buildings in the Loop area with the sloping roof while being a major hub of the «el» trains transfers.
When entering this majestic building from the street, I am generally in ahh with the interior with the glass elevators leading to the various Government offices to the glass slanted roof. There are two floors of retail stores which are just okay. As previous reviews have stated — the stores are nothing to jump up and down about.
Taking the escalator to the lower floor, you will notice the many different types of fast food restaurant that along the outside walls. Stressing the term «fast food», don’t plan to have a gourmet meal here. The eating area is rather tight and small for all of the restaurants. Overall, the restaurants are okay. The Men’s restroom is another story! It has to be one of the worst restroom in the downtown area. Just plan smelly and nasty. Also, on this floor, you will find the DVM and the Blue line train.
Overall, a great building to check out and grab a quick lunch.

I visit this building for business, it has many amenities that make it very convenient.
There is a train station in the basement.
Food court so you can grab coffee.
A few shops but nothing worth jumping up and down about.
You do have to go through security but pretty painless.
I would enjoy all these options if I worked in the building.

This building is a fitting monument to Jim Thompson: oversized, over cost, and overrated.

DO NOT EAT HERE!!!
I was in their recently and I saw a few roaches. They were in the bathroom but you know if they are in the bathroom they are everywhere. Plus their are birds living in the building, lord knows where they go to the bathroom and if it gets cleaned up.

This review is for the food court.
I made the mistake of using the restroom after eating here one day. Hey, I had a long train ride home! It was pretty grody but the icing on the cake was the family of cockroaches that scurried about. Did I mention there is a restaurant a few feet away from the door?
I almost threw up my sushi. At least the sesame seeds weren’t moving…

A couple of friends had to take medical career tests at this building before applying for a state job in Elgin. I was free that morning, so tagging along was an excuse to see more of the city. The Thompson center in many ways is emblematic of Chicago at its core – that is to say, often initially magnificent, but under closer inspection, ridiculously lacking foresight throughout and with indifferent government employees.
First off, the main entry way leads into a massive atrium which spans from the floor all the way to the roof. This is one of the best examples of atrocious design and usage of space. Literally two-​thirds of this building is unusable for actual office space and will never be utilized. Combined with massive heating and cooling costs for dead space, this is an insult to environmentally conscious citizens and over-​taxed tax payers. See the photos for more details.
Another reason why this location gets docked stars is the fact that they force everyone to go through a security checkpoint to reach anything about the ground floor. You can come and visit the so-​so food court, but if you plan on actually interacting with the government services, be prepared to do the airport routine. Thankfully they didn’t make us strip to our socks.
Additionally, when we passed the security checkpoint, we realized that there were no signs on the walls stating which offices are located on which floors. Thankfully our little group had it written down on the test application. Like Union Station, why is it so hard for Chicago hubs to have basic signage to point visitors in the right direction?
The test itself lasted about three hours and I asked the security guards if they knew if where several state agencies were just to test them. To my semi-​surprise, they didn’t know where about half of what I was asking for was located. Talk about «Security Theater» at its best. If you’re not familiar with the term, Google it. The definition probably has a picture of these clowns.
You force people to undergo time-​wasting bag checks, but don’t even know where half the offices are in your own building. Okay, so there’s a thug in the DMV office, better radio for backup, right? Wait, which floor is that on? We better ask one of the visitors. Shameful!