T-Mobile today unveiled plans for a major renovation project that the company says will transform its Bellevue, Wash. headquarters and set it up for the merger with Sprint and the arrival of 5G.
T-Mobile says it has broken ground on a $160 million renovation of the campus just off the Interstate 90 freeway in Bellevue that will take three years to finish. In addition, the company said it has resigned its lease for the campus through 2030.
Rumblings of a major renovation project have been percolating for much of the year, but this is the first time the company has acknowledged the plan. Today, the campus is home to 6,200 employees, which is up 56 percent over the last five years. T-Mobile says that makes it the largest employer in the city of Bellevue, and it has 8,100 people in the region.
The renovated campus will include plenty of perks for employees and places to hang out, T-Mobile says. The new HQ will feature a variety of work setups, including co-working spaces, coffee shops and other gathering areas, in addition to traditional assigned seating and open office layouts.
As part of the project, T-Mobile plans to build a network of outdoor spaces, including what it says is “a pedestrian-friendly area reminiscent of The High Line in New York City.”
When this project is done, T-Mobile will seek to power it with 100 percent renewable energy. The company says the move will save it millions in energy costs and bring it closer to a goal of operating the entire organization on renewable energy.
T-Mobile says it will have the first U.S. corporate campus to achieve the Fitwel certification, a workplace wellness standard focused on “increased physical activity, accessible design, access to healthy food options, natural lighting and outdoor spaces.” Embracing the trend in tech of bike commuters, T-Mobile will add a bike repair station on campus.
The refresh of the Bellevue campus comes at one of the most important times in the company’s history, as it continues to lobby for approval of its merger with Sprint. In the announcement, T-Mobile hinted at a future headquarters in Kansas, but says it remains loyal to its hometown.
“Even as the company continues to expand in other states (including, it hopes, a Kansas HQ to come), it is strongly committed to expanding its Pacific Northwest roots,” according to the announcement.”
