Sep. 16, 2025
Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP to Help Drive Albany's Renewal With Commitment to New Office Space
Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP (WOH), the Capital Region’s largest law firm, intends to anchor a new office building planned by First Columbia at 705 Broadway, relocating from its current space at 1 Commerce Plaza. If realized, the move would result in more than 200 employees working in the city’s core, strengthening Albany’s economy and reinforcing the vitality of the Capital City.
The project marks the first new Class A office building to be constructed in downtown Albany in 20 years. It is part of a larger mixed-use development that will also include residential apartments, ground-floor retail, and a public plaza designed to connect Clinton Square with the Warehouse District. By bringing hundreds of professional workers downtown each day, the project is expected to provide a meaningful boost to surrounding restaurants, shops, and other local businesses.
The new space will allow WOH to bring all its Capital Region employees together under one roof for the first time in years. The firm currently operates from its main office at 1 Commerce Plaza, with additional offices at 80 State Street in Albany and Corporate Woods in Colonie. Consolidating these locations downtown reflects WOH’s commitment to Albany while fostering a more collaborative environment for attorneys and staff. The firm will also continue to maintain its office in Poughkeepsie to serve clients in the Hudson Valley.
WOH has been searching for new office space for more than a decade, but until now, has not been able to secure suitable space in downtown Albany to meet the firm’s needs. Although suburban opportunities were considered, the proposed building provides the opportunity for WOH to remain in the city’s downtown core, where the firm has been committed to staying. While several law firms have left downtown in recent years, WOH views remaining here as central to its identity and mission. Founded in 1975 by New York City lawyers who sought to bring big-city legal expertise to the Capital Region, WOH has built a reputation for serving high-profile clients while investing in the community it calls home.
WOH’s ability to move forward is contingent on continued collaboration among First Columbia, New York State, Albany County and the City of Albany to ensure the project’s feasibility. This includes state support for construction that will help retain more than 200 professional jobs downtown, the implementation of a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement, and parking arrangements through the Albany Parking Authority. With these elements in place, the building will not only allow WOH to remain downtown but will also help drive new energy into the city’s core, contributing to the long-term economic vitality of Albany.
“We are proud of our roots here and deeply committed to Albany’s future,” said Robert Schofield, Managing Partner of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP. “This project is about more than office space. It’s about keeping jobs in the heart of the Capital City, attracting new energy to downtown, and playing a role in helping Albany grow and prosper. We look forward to working with our partners in government to make this vision a reality.”