Giant Eagle signs deal for planned tech hub

Giant Eagle Inc. is doubling down on its technology investments with a planned tech hub in Lawrenceville.

The O’Hara- based grocery chain inked a lease deal to open a 23,000- square- foot space within the TechMill 41 development by early 2020. The company plans to have about 150 current and new employees at the office.

TechMill 41 is part of a development that includes luxury apartments, called The Foundry at 41st, and outdoor event space dubbed Bay 41. The development is touted as a multiuse project by Fort Willow Developers LP. Overall, TechMill 41 offers 87,500 square feet of Class A office space next to the 40th Street Bridge.

Giant Eagle’s planned tech annex will focus on supporting the company’s digital offerings. In recent years, the grocer has launched several initiatives, including Curbside Express online ordering, Scan Pay & Go for instore shopping and a mobile app.

“As the retail industry continues through this amazing period of technological change, we are extremely fortunate to call Pittsburgh — a city with a deep and growing tech talent pool — home,” Giant Eagle President and CEO Laura Shapira Karet said in a statement.

“Our new office space in the heart of Lawrenceville will provide us with a geographic advantage to compete with regional, national and global companies that are vying for this unique expertise.”

Giant Eagle’s digital- focused workforce is located between its O’Hara headquarters and a satellite tech hub in San Francisco, which opened in 2018 and has about 35 employees.