President Donald Trump’s alma mater, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has signed a long-term lease for the entire 80,000-square-foot Cube building at 345 Montgomery Street in San Francisco. The property is part of the 555 California Street complex, which is owned by Vornado Realty Trust and the Trump Organization.
The business school’s new lease will last more than ten years. Wharton expects to move into the Cube within the next year and a half. The institution’s current San Francisco site at 2 Harrison Street, which it shares with Google, has become too small after Google expanded its presence there earlier this year. For about a decade, Wharton has leased roughly 35,000 square feet at Hills Plaza on Harrison Street.
Wharton’s expansion aligns with its efforts to increase tech-focused programs. This includes launching a new MBA degree in artificial intelligence beginning this fall. The Trump Organization holds a 30 percent stake in the larger complex, which totals 1.8 million square feet and includes the main skyscraper at 555 California Street along with two neighboring buildings at 315 and 345 Montgomery Street. The five-story Cube will be dedicated to Wharton’s Bay Area operations and situates the school near major financial firms such as Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Dodge & Cox, and UBS.
Currently, Wharton’s San Francisco campus serves about 220 students. The Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco occupies part of the Cube but will vacate its space next year.
Meanwhile, Vanderbilt University is also seeking a location for its West Coast outpost in San Francisco and has been collaborating with Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office on possible options.
