Plans for Third Building on Seattle Campus

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SEATTLE, June 20, 2018 — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced plans to move forward with a third building at their headquarters located in downtown Seattle, across from Seattle Center and the historic Space Needle. The foundation plans to break ground on the new building in Fall of 2019 with completion in Spring of 2022.

The plans for the third building will showcase the foundation’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and will strive for LEED Platinum Certification. The new space will include the opportunities for up to an additional 800 seats for employees, flexible meeting and community spaces, and below-grade parking. The foundation’s home features iconic views of downtown Seattle, the Space Needle and MoPop.

The foundation will once again engage with NBBJ, the architects of the original campus that opened in the heart of the city in 2011. “We are thrilled to work with the talented group of outstanding, Seattle-based partners, such as NBBJ and Sellen Construction, to realize this stage of the original design and vision,” said Aaron Moses, Director, Global Facilities. Bill and Melinda have committed personal funding for the construction, as they did the phase one of the campus, separate from the foundation’s trust endowment.

The foundation employs approximately 1,200 employees at its Seattle campus. In 2015, the foundation generated nearly $550 million in total direct economic activity within the Greater Seattle region of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, including $300 million in direct grants to non-profit organizations located and doing work in the Puget Sound.

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

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