How bees helped a historic Chicago building win a TOBY Award

Sometimes the best partnerships happen when you're not even trying to impress anyone, you're just doing good work together.

The building that almost wasn't

Picture this: you’re managing a historic building in downtown Chicago, sharing floors with Macy’s retail space. It has character, but you’re competing against sleek new towers with all the modern amenities.

Your job? Keep tenants engaged in a post-COVID market where simply maintaining operations is no longer enough.

That was Connor McCormack’s reality when he joined the JLL team at 24 East Washington. But this “old” building had something the shiny new ones didn’t: a thriving rooftop ecosystem with beehives, gardens, and a bar serving cocktails sweetened with its own honey.

When bees become part of your story

In 2022, when Asia Moore began building the property’s sustainability program, the team partnered with Alvéole. It wasn’t about solving a problem. It was about engaging tenants while contributing to something bigger than quarterly reports.

“We weren’t trying to fix anything,” Asia explains. “We were growing quickly and looking for ways to engage tenants while strengthening sustainability.”

What started as a tenant engagement initiative soon became a story that set the building apart.

The TOBY difference

By 2024, the JLL team set their sights on BOMA’s TOBY Award: the highest recognition in building management. The application process is rigorous, requiring extensive documentation on sustainability, amenities, and tenant engagement.

This is where the bees proved invaluable.

“There's a huge sustainability section,” Connor recalls. “You were definitely incorporated there. But also in our amenity perks for tenants because of the engagement piece.”

Solar panels are important, but hard to make exciting in a write-up. Bees, on the other hand, are alive, visible, and memorable. Tenants saw pollinators at work, joined honey harvesting workshops, and enjoyed honey cocktails on the 14th floor.

Or as Connor put it: “Bees speak better than solar panels. It’s something tangible and alive that people feel connected to.”

How it played out

The JLL team wove their partnership with Alvéole throughout the TOBY application:

Sustainability: Not just "we have green initiatives" but "we actively support urban biodiversity through on-site beekeeping, complete with educational programming and community engagement."

Tenant Amenities: Honey workshops that sell out, honey cocktails at the rooftop bar, and jars tenants could take home.

Engagement: Queen-naming contests, beekeeper updates through the tenant portal, and content that kept the community connected.

ESG Reporting: Real photos, real stories, real impact they could point to in reports and presentations.

The result? They won their TOBY Award on the first try, something Connor mentioned doesn't always happen.

The value nobody talks about

The ROI was not just in cost savings. It was in the story, the recognition, and the tenant relationships.

“Our goal is retaining folks,” Connor says. “We need to put ourselves a step above competitors. COVID really changed the landscape. Ownerships are pushing for amenity spaces and ways to differentiate.”

Instead of investing in flashy but forgettable perks, the team invested in something lasting. Today, when Connor gives building tours, he doesn’t just show the space. He takes people to the rooftop garden, points out the hives, and explains how the honey makes its way into the bar’s signature drinks.

“I’m like, ‘and we have bees over here,’” he laughs. “You can see them active, moving, pollinating, even taking a nap on the flowers.”

Recognition and beyond

When asked about the benefit of winning the TOBY Award, Connor is candid. “To be blunt, I think it looks good on the resume for us. Ownership was pleased with the value it created.”

That honesty underscores the point: awards are great, but the real value comes from programs that deliver ongoing results, with or without recognition.

What others property managers can learn

The JLL team’s success offers a few lessons for property managers looking to bring sustainability and engagement together:

Start with something tangible. Solar panels are great, but bees give you stories, events, and products you can actually use.

Think beyond the obvious. They didn't just schedule workshops—they integrated honey into their bar program, used beekeeper updates for social content, and leveraged the program for leasing and tenant appreciation.

Don't overcomplicate it. Asia mentioned they started with one tenant and grew from there. The program scaled with them.

Use it when it matters. When award season came around, they had a real program with real impact to showcase, not just a line item about "sustainability initiatives."

A partnership that lasts

Three years later, JLL signed another three-year contract with Alvéole. Not because it was mandated, but because it works, for their building, their tenants, and their goals.

“We’re very happy with the service,” Connor says. “Simple as that.”

Sometimes the best business relationships are the ones that stop feeling transactional. You build something meaningful together, and the results speak for themselves: in tenant satisfaction, award recognition, and the knowledge that you’re contributing to something larger than your property’s bottom line.