Photo by Scott Esterly
Rising to Greater Heights
Benesch meets growing needs with new offices at Key Tower Story by Scott Esterly | Photos by Scott Esterly and Daniel Prucey
D
uring the time that Gregg Eisenberg has been Benesch’s managing partner, the law firm continuously outgrew its space at 200 Public Square in downtown Cleveland. It turned out that its long-term solution to office space was just across Public Square at Key Tower. Benesch’s growth was so significant that the availability of eight contiguous floors and 164,828 square feet was too good to pass up. Floors 42 to 49 in Key Tower comprise the new Benesch offices.
When Eisenberg became managing partner in 2015, the firm was already beginning to consider scenarios for when their lease at 200 Public Square ended in 2019. Initial plans to move were curtailed in the fall of 2020, which necessitated a reset. Throughout this process, Benesch had to account for its continued growth and success, and built-out more space as needed. Benesch also signed several shortterm lease extensions as it continued its search process for a permanent home. “We did our due diligence and decided to come to Key Tower,” says John Banks, Benesch’s chief administrative officer. “Millennia is a great owner. Frank Sinito and his team do a great job running the building. The amenities are awesome. We were fortunate that they had eight contiguous floors available at the time we needed it.” The last round of employees officially moved into the new office at the begin22
ning of August 2023. Final construction of the Benesch offices in Key Tower was complete towards the end of 2023. “We made the right choice,” says Eisenberg. “I think Key Tower is phenomenal for us in many ways. Having the opportunity to design space like this that is built for today and the future was very important for us.”
Staying downtown
Benesch’s commitment to downtown Cleveland was paramount as options were considered. “We were always committed to downtown,” says Eisenberg. “It’s been our home for 85 years. We wanted to be in Cleveland.” Banks concurs. “We definitely wanted to stay downtown,” he says. “We think we belong here. We felt we owed it to the community and to the city” The combination of a brand-new, cutting-edge office and Key Tower’s
own amenities were the perfect match. Benesch’s new home was built to be a haven for its attorneys, professional staff and clients. “It’s going to help our firm in terms of collaboration and make our work more productive,” says Eisenberg.
Built for growth
Since Eisenberg became managing partner, he has worked tirelessly on a vision for Benesch to grow laterally, Banks notes. “He’s not only our managing partner, but he’s also our primary recruiter,” he says. “We wouldn’t be sitting here today had he not become managing partner in 2015.” That year, Benesch had offices in Cleveland, Columbus and Wilmington, Delaware. The first new office added was in Chicago, which started with two attorneys in April 2016. Today, the Chicago office has more than 120 attorneys. Subsequently, Benesch added offices in Properties | February 2024