Boeing to move corporate headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia

CHICAGO (CBS) — Boeing announced Thursday that it is moving its global headquarters from Chicago to Arlington, Virginia just outside Washington, D.C.

Boeing already has an office in Arlington’s Crystal City district, where employees support a variety of corporate functions and work on advanced airplane development and autonomous systems, according to a news release.

In addition to moving the company headquarters to the Arlington campus, Boeing also plans to develop research and technology hub in the draw engineering and technical talent.

Boeing is not leaving Chicago altogether. The news release said the company will maintain a “significant presence” at its Chicago office at 100 N. Riverside Plaza in the West Loop Gate.

“We greatly appreciate our continuing relationships in Chicago and throughout Illinois. We look forward to maintaining a strong presence in the city and the state,” Boeing President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Calhoun said in a news release.

Boeing said it has implemented “flexible and virtual solutions” so that not everyone needs to be in the office anymore and les office space is needed. At the Chicago Boeing office, less office space will now be required for the employees who will be based there.

“In today’s business environment, we have adopted a flexible work strategy in parts of our company and are taking steps to be more efficient within a reduced footprint. This helps us channel investments toward our critical manufacturing and engineering facilities and training resources,” Calhoun said in the news release.

The news release did not specify how Boeing will be downsizing in Chicago.

Boeing moved its world headquarters from Seattle to Chicago back in 2001. The company also built a large hangar at the Gary International Airport to house some of its corporate planes. 

The company was founded in Seattle in 1916 by timber scion William Boeing, who initially built wooden seaplanes.