Robert Bosch LLC will locate its 51,667 square foot technology center at 2555 Smallman Street in the 3 Crossings neighborhood in the city’s Strip District.
3 Crossings reconnects the Strip Distr
ict to the natural amenities of a revitalized riverfront and Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers HeritageTrail network. The development represents the transformation of the former trucking yards of Pittsburgh’s past into the sustainable neighborhood of the future.
“We see the growth of the Strip District as the here and now phase in Pittsburgh’s amazing transformation as a place where you can live, work, and everything else,” said Steve Guy, President & CEO, Oxford Development Company. “The addition of Bosch to 3 Crossings helps grow the professional workforce of the Strip District, and complements a new community vision as Pittsburgh’s next corporate and high technology destination.”
Bosch’s technology center was driven by the need to accommodate growth of the company’s business units, including subsidiary Akustica, a world leader in microelectromechanical systems microphone products, and Bosch’s Research and Technology Center in Pittsburgh.
“Bosch is experiencing continued, significant growth in many regions, and this is especially true in Pittsburgh,” said Mike Mansuetti, president, Robert Bosch LLC. “We have been in this area for many years and have formed many successful collaborations with other companies and organizations, like Carnegie Mellon University. We look forward to continuing our presence in such an exciting, tech-focused part of the region, and adding to its growing reputation as a hub for innovation.”
The facility will consolidate many Bosch associates in the region into a single location, housing approximately 140 associates initially.
“Our new facility is not just larger, but also has improved lab space that enhances our product development and testing capabilities,” said Horst Muenzel, president and general manager, Akustica. “Akustica already provides microphones with best-in-class robustness, and now we will have additional capabilities to deliver even higher performance and higher quality to meet the needs of our customers.”
“This state-of-the-art facility will provide our researchers and engineers with a world-class working environment tailored specifically to their needs,” said Jiri Marek, senior vice president, Bosch Research and Technology Center, North America. “This investment highlights Bosch’s commitment to attracting top talent from the Pittsburgh region and beyond to support our mission to create the next-generation of solutions for a connected life.”
2555 Smallman Street will be the first building in the region to provide a Euro Plaza, or “woonerf”, that transforms from guest parking to a weekend destination for gathering. A woonerf (Dutch for “living street”) is a concept created in the Netherlands and designed primarily with the interests of pedestrians and cyclists in mind and as a social space where people can meet safely. This Complete Streets technique includes shared outdoor space, traffic calming, and low speed limits with priority given to all modes of transportation including automobiles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Motorized traffic in a woonerf is restricted to walking pace. The Euro Plaza will be built at the same grade as the sidewalk, without curbs. Through traffic is directed using a series of lighted bollards.
The announcement follows Bosch’s recent $2.5 million grant to Carnegie Mellon University, where Bosch is collaborating to bring about a shared vision of a “Smart Campus”, composed of intelligent buildings and spaces that provide improved efficiency and enhanced experiences for the campus community.