Former GNC building gets new lease on life
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

The former GNC headquarters at Wood Street and Sixth Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios
Downtown is getting a fresh supply of housing with the conversion of a 120-year-old office building.
Why it matters: The city is working to redefine the Golden Triangle after a pandemic-era shift to hybrid work increased office vacancy rates. Converting older office buildings into housing is a key part of that plan.
Driving the news: New York-based developer Victrix last week celebrated the grand opening of its 253-unit residential tower, Livewell Apartments, in the former GNC headquarters.
- Located at 550 Wood St., the building's first tenants started moving in late last year.
Catch up quick: Victrix bought the 14-story, 314,000-square-foot building for $9.4 million in September 2021, according to county property records. Construction started in early 2023.
- Pittsburgh-based health and wellness brand GNC moved its headquarters to the Strip District in 2022 after emerging from bankruptcy in late 2020.
Zoom in: Livewell Apartments offers studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom units with 12-foot ceilings, coworking facilities, a rooftop clubhouse, and a fitness center. The ground level has more than 13,000 square feet of retail space, partially occupied by a KeyBank branch.
- Rent is market rate, ranging from about $1,500 to $3,800.
- Developers did not disclose the total project cost, but it was funded in part by $6 million in gap financing from Strategic Investment Fund Partners.

The intrigue: The building was designed in the early 1900s by renowned architect Daniel Burnham as the McCreery & Co. department store. Burnham also designed the Flatiron Building in New York City and Union Station in Washington, D.C.
What they're saying: Each new development brings the city closer to its "collective and ambitious goal to double [the Golden Triangle's] residential population to 15,000," says Jeremy Waldrup, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership president and CEO.
By the numbers: The Golden Triangle's population increased 23%, to roughly 7,000 people, from 2019 to 2024, with a 91% apartment occupancy rate in the last quarter of 2024, according to the partnership.
Zoom out: City leaders say the building's conversion supplements a broader $600 million initiative to boost Downtown housing and revamp public spaces like Market Square and the Cultural District — both due for facelifts ahead of the 2026 NFL draft.
- Downtown buildings specifically targeted for a residential rebirth as part of the initiative include the iconic 44-story Gulf Tower and the 12-story May Building.
