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The Boston Society for Architecture’s search for a new home entered a new phase with the selection of a brokerage to sound out downtown landlords.

BSA executives hope that a suitable ground-floor location could accomplish one of the organization’s top priorities: creating a resource not only for architects’ professional gatherings, but a hub of civic engagement for the broader community. And it could include partnering with local nonprofits.

“We’re thinking about how we can create another civic hub within the city,” said Paige Johnston, the BSA’s senior director of programs and impact. “We’re been thinking about downtown specifically, and with all of the conversations about downtown, we see this project being a really important part of the creative economy, and an economic development project.”

The industry organization, which represents the design profession in eastern Massachusetts, has hired brokerage Avison Young to assist in the space search. BSA Executive Director Danyson Tavares said the organization is looking for approximately 12,000 square feet for the new Design Center for Public Good.

Although the BSA would be the lessee, it’s open to partnerships with other groups to share the space and activate it for meetings and community events.

Sharing real estate is a strategy that reflects the difficult fundraising environment for nonprofits and cuts in federal funding, Tavares said.

“This is an amazing opportunity. We see the BSA being the leader of this charge,” he said.

The BSA occupied ground-floor space at BXP’s Atlantic Wharf on the downtown waterfront from 2012 through 2023, before the office REIT converted the space into a general public accommodation and BSA relocated to an upstairs suite including gallery space and meeting rooms.

BSA exercised a lease expiration effective in October 2026.

“We’ve struggled in the past year since we lost our ground-floor space. The challenge of not being able to have a street presence hampered our ability to act on our mission,” Tavares said.

Brokers have presented approximately 20 potential properties to the BSA, and the organization has narrowed the list to 10 as it plans building tours in coming weeks.

In the meantime, it’s continuing to host industry events at Atlantic Wharf.

On Sept. 30, the BSA will host a building summit geared toward local officials on green building regulations.