OpenAI is expanding its footprint in Downtown Bellevue, leasing three floors at City Center Plaza, as first reported by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
The artificial intelligence company will occupy 69,000 square feet at 555 110th Avenue Northeast, a space that was formerly leased by Microsoft. Microsoft vacated the building in 2024 when its lease expired, leaving over 500,000 square feet available in the tower.
OpenAI’s new space spans the 15th, 16th, and 17th floors. Plans submitted to the city show that the company intends to make several upgrades under the project name “Apollo,” which is also the name of CEO Sam Altman’s venture capital firm.
Tenant improvement documents obtained by PSBJ show OpenAI will install an internal stairway connecting the three floors, and build employee amenities including a 140-seat cafeteria, a game room, a reading room, a “tech bar,” and a wellness center. The design also includes conference rooms, collaboration areas, office lounges, and phone booths.
CBRE is the leasing broker representing the property.
Before this latest lease, OpenAI announced plans in 2024 to open new office space in Bellevue, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion in the Pacific Northwest.
This office is located near Microsoft’s headquarters, a key partner of OpenAI. The two companies have worked closely together since 2019, when Microsoft made an initial $1 billion investment in OpenAI.
Microsoft later followed up with an additional $10 billion investment, giving it a 49% ownership stake in the company. As part of the partnership, Microsoft has integrated OpenAI’s technology into several of its products and services.
Beyond Bellevue, OpenAI has a global presence with offices in cities including San Francisco, New York City, Paris, London, Tokyo, Brussels, Dublin, and Singapore.
