Corporations debate benefits of leasing headquarters instead of owning.(Brief Article)

Decision impacts corporate identity, employee morale

After years of owning its own headquarters in Robinson Township, Eat n' Park decided to become a renter.

Despite years of solid growth, when the time came to establish a new headquarters, the popular family dining restaurant chose to lease 30,000 square feet of office space at the Waterfront in Homestead.

"The decision was made that Eat n' Park was in the food service industry," said Steve Esposito, Eat n' Park's vice president of real estate. "And that our resources are best used in developing restaurants as opposed to building office buildings."

Companies, such as Eat n' Park, Crown castle and BroadStreet, are recent examples of many Pittsburgh-area firms seeking to establish new headquarter homes in which to locate their core management and operations.

When it comes to …