Google says it will invest $15M in Pa. this year, including Bakery Square expansion in Pittsburgh

The tech giant Google said it will invest more than $15 million in Pennsylvania this year, including plans to add another floor at its Bakery Square campus in Pittsburgh’s East End.

The company said it plans to invest $9.5 billion in offices and data centers across the country this year, while creating at least 12,000 full-time jobs nationally.

“Google’s offices and data centers provide vital anchors to our local communities and help us contribute to their economies,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company, Alphabet Inc.

Pichai said the company believes “it’s more important than ever to invest in our campuses and that doing so will make for better products, a greater quality of life for our employees and stronger communities.”

Google has operated in Pennsylvania for more than a decade, and today employs more than 800 people in Pittsburgh.

The tech giant completed construction last year on two new floors at its Bakery Square campus. This year, Google plans to add another floor at the site, bringing its total footprint in Pittsburgh to about 320,000 square feet.

“Their expansion is another anchor in our city’s reputation as a leading technology center,” Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said. “We look forward to partnering with them as they continue to provide vital access to digital resources for families and local businesses in our community.”

Grow with Google — an initiative that aims to help people learn digital skills — has partnered with more than 360 organizations to train over 296,000 Pennsylvanians. The initiative is expanding its Digital Coach program to serve businesses statewide, allowing more Black and Latinx business owners in Pennsylvania to have access to free tools and resources to grow their businesses, Google said.