Duolingo is relocating its Pittsburgh headquarters from its longtime home on Penn Avenue to a mixed-use office tower roughly a half-mile away, consolidating its local operations into a significantly larger space as the company continues to grow.
The language-learning platform will move from 5900 Penn Ave. in East Liberty to Liberty East at 141 S. St. Clair St., also in East Liberty. The transition is expected to take approximately one year.
Duolingo signed a 10-year lease in March 2024 for approximately 140,000 to 150,000 square feet at Liberty East, a tower anchored on its ground floor by a Whole Foods Market. The lease runs through June 15, 2035, at a reported cost of nearly $400,000 per month. The company had first established a presence in the building in November 2021, initially leasing around 38,000 square feet.
The expanded Liberty East footprint nearly doubles the company’s previous Pittsburgh office space.
The Penn Avenue building, which spans approximately 77,000 square feet, is now being marketed for sale or lease by Hanna Commercial Real Estate. Duolingo moved into that property in 2016 after relocating from Shadyside, initially occupying about 16,000 square feet before expanding throughout the building over the following years. The headquarters grew to include a cafeteria, rooftop patio, private fitness center and lounge spaces for employees.
One notable tenant is expected to remain behind. Duo’s Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant associated with Duolingo that operates out of the Penn Avenue property, is currently planned to continue operating after the headquarters move, according to real estate representatives.
The relocation marks a significant shift for one of Pittsburgh’s most recognizable tech employers. Duolingo, which went public in 2021, has become closely identified with the East Liberty neighborhood, and its signature green owl mascot has long been associated with the Penn Avenue building.