The Pittsburgh Foundation moves to 912 Fort Duquesne Blvd.

JLL Pittsburgh announces the relocation of The Pittsburgh Foundation to 912 Fort Duquesne Blvd., where the community foundation will occupy 31,308 square feet across floors 9 and 10 for a 15-year term. The foundation’s new headquarters will advance strategic initiatives announced January 31, while also providing an office and event space that will facilitate collaboration, ideation, and connectivity.

Geoff Greco and Andrew Millberg of JLL represented The Pittsburgh Foundation and Jeff Adams and Jesse Ainsman of JLL represented The Elmhurst Group.

This is one of the largest office leases to have been signed for a Downtown Pittsburgh property the past 14 months, and the largest to be signed for a foundation in the urban core since R.K. Mellon’s lease at The Auction House at the Produce Terminal in 2022. The transaction also exemplifies a continuing trend of organizations committing to downtown Pittsburgh for their office space needs in conveniently located assets with practical employee perks. 912 Fort Duquesne Blvd. boasts multiple amenities, including newly added conference and fitness centers, a tenant lounge, and private outdoor plaza for tenant use on the first floor.

912 Fort Duquesne Blvd. is a Class A building that is in a unique location on the edge of Pittsburgh’s Central Business District and the Strip District, adjacent to the Allegheny River and nearby landmarks like the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the Cultural District, and top hospitality, tourism and retail attractions.

As part of the deal, the foundation will have signage rights, which will enhance its identity as a Downtown institution. The space will also allow for possible future expansion to an outdoor rooftop patio for events and convening.

“This is a wonderful headquarters for us to strengthen relationships with donors, grantees and leaders in the civic, business and government sectors,” foundation president and CEO, Lisa Schroeder said in announcing the agreement. “We’re thrilled to have found accommodations that will help us activate our new strategic plan, which focuses on Promoting Philanthropy, Supporting Community and Catalyzing Partnerships. We’re especially pleased that our new building is accessible to the public in many ways, including highways, public transportation and pedestrian-friendly walkways around the David Lawrence Convention Center and the Culture District.” 

Among its strategic initiatives and priorities, the foundation made a commitment in January to invest $50 million of the unrestricted grant-making pool over the next five years to advance racial equity and racial justice throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region.

“The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the city’s most respected and impactful organizations improving the quality of life of the region. This opportunity significantly enhances the foundation’s employee experience, brand visibility and accessibility to the community they serve, all while exceeding fiscal objectives,” said Greco. “This move and new workspace enables the foundation’s team to focus on the organization’s broader mission. It was a win-win for all parties involved.”

The Elmhurst Group—the ownership group of 912 Fort Duquesne Blvd—is a 49-year-old Pittsburgh-based organization that invests in commercial real estate and the hospitality industry. Elmhurst’s real estate holdings include 46 buildings on 23 sites, totaling more than 3.5 million square feet of office, distribution, flex, hospitality, and apartment space.

“We are honored to welcome a Pittsburgh-based organization as influential as The Pittsburgh Foundation to our property,” said Bill Hunt, Elmhurst Group President and CEO. “When we made comprehensive new amenity installations in 2020, including a 55-person conference room with video conferencing capabilities, a complete fitness center and tenant lounge with wet bar, we designed these upgrades with top tenants like The Pittsburgh Foundation in mind who will help us grow downtown Pittsburgh. To that end, we could see the building becoming a non-profit hub-like location for similar foundations and non-profit entities” 

According to JLL research, in 2022, 65 percent of all new deal activity occurred at Class A properties, 15 percent more compared to 2021.

For more information, visit jll.com/pittsburgh.