Apple reportedly investigating new corporate lease in Pittsburgh
Apple is reportedly eyeing a 90,000-square-foot space in the Pittsburgh Athletic Association building in Oakland, Pitt., a 108-year-old structure currently undergoing a $25 million renovation.
Pittsburgh Athletic Association building.
Citing real estate sources, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Apple is in discussions with site developer Walnut Capital for a piece of the historic property located on Oakland's Fifth Avenue.
Whether the new lease would represent a move or expansion to Apple's existing Pittsburgh operations is unclear. Since 2015, the tech giant has leased one half of a 53,000-square-foot office at 3 Crossings in the Strip District, an office that as of two years ago fielded about 50 employees.
For Apple, a move into the Pittsburgh Athletic Association would mark a return to an area ripe with collegiate talent, as the building is near both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. Previously, the company ran a corporate office out of the Robert Mehrabian Collaborative Innovation Center at CMU.
Apple's interest in Pittsburgh began in 2001, when the company set up a small operation of about 10 employees. The office, mostly responsible for software development, has made contributions to the iWork suite of apps, the report said. Apple also buys specialty stainless steel from Pittsburgh firm Allegheny Technologies for use in iMac and Mac Pro.
Pittsburgh is one of few states to boast an Apple corporate office. While the iPhone maker is typically known for its facilities in California and Austin, it also holds property in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Washington and various locales along the Eastern seaboard.
In 2018, Apple announced plans to bolster employment at new and existing corporate sites across the U.S. in an aggressive investment initiative that includes a $1 billion campus in Austin. Pittsburgh was named alongside Boston, New York and Portland, Ore., as sites set to receive major expansions in the coming years.
Pittsburgh Athletic Association building.
Citing real estate sources, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Apple is in discussions with site developer Walnut Capital for a piece of the historic property located on Oakland's Fifth Avenue.
Whether the new lease would represent a move or expansion to Apple's existing Pittsburgh operations is unclear. Since 2015, the tech giant has leased one half of a 53,000-square-foot office at 3 Crossings in the Strip District, an office that as of two years ago fielded about 50 employees.
For Apple, a move into the Pittsburgh Athletic Association would mark a return to an area ripe with collegiate talent, as the building is near both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. Previously, the company ran a corporate office out of the Robert Mehrabian Collaborative Innovation Center at CMU.
Apple's interest in Pittsburgh began in 2001, when the company set up a small operation of about 10 employees. The office, mostly responsible for software development, has made contributions to the iWork suite of apps, the report said. Apple also buys specialty stainless steel from Pittsburgh firm Allegheny Technologies for use in iMac and Mac Pro.
Pittsburgh is one of few states to boast an Apple corporate office. While the iPhone maker is typically known for its facilities in California and Austin, it also holds property in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Washington and various locales along the Eastern seaboard.
In 2018, Apple announced plans to bolster employment at new and existing corporate sites across the U.S. in an aggressive investment initiative that includes a $1 billion campus in Austin. Pittsburgh was named alongside Boston, New York and Portland, Ore., as sites set to receive major expansions in the coming years.
Comments
Wikipedia offers a nice summary of the P.A.A. and its building here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Athletic_Association. Partner Walnut Capital owns and manages large amounts of commercial and residential real estate in Pittsburgh's East End, especially the most desirable sections of Oakland and Shadyside.
Two minor corrections: Pittsburgh, of course, is a city, not a state, And you mean :"rife with" not "ripe with."
This area is filled with talent -- within walking distance of 4 different universities (6 if your in good shape!) -- most notably Carnegie Mellon which is one of the world's leading tech schools. In addition to Apple, Pittsburgh hosts a number advanced researched facilities including those in the autonomous driving field.
The steel mills, unfortunately, are long gone and replaced with a rapidly advancing technology industry.
They don't come to Pittsburgh for taxes or political expediency -- but for the talent.
That's true. But equally as important if not more so, just a very few blocks from Carnegie Mellon University - one of the world's leading technological institutes.
As a young adult I used to play racquetball there. We were always on our very best, polite behavour and knew not to speak louder than a whisper.
50 years ago Pittsburgh had more corporate headquarters than any place in the world - including New York. So, those honchos needed places like the Duquesne Club and PAA to hobnob and plan (or was it collude?) together.
There's nothing in the Midwest to compete with Carnegie Mellon for tech. Tech companies rely on technical achievements. Lesser organizations survive by avoiding taxes. Apple was not one of those 91 Fortune 500 companies listed who paid no federal taxes last year.