Columbia Property Trust Completes Renovations at DC Office Building

By Corina Stef

80 M St., Washington, D.C.

Columbia Property Trust Inc. finished renovating 80 M St. in Washington, D.C. The $3 million dollar renovations commenced in July 2016 and managed to transform the 285,000-square-foot, seven-story building into a Class A, LEED-certified prime office asset.

The owner hired architect Wingate Hughes to handle the building’s design, which is inspired by the area’s heritage and is filled with U.S. Navy symbols. Amenities include an upgraded building entrance, new façade with floor-to-ceiling glass, modern streetscape, map-imprinted main lobby floors depicting southeast D.C., tenant lounge with wood ceilings portraying the U.S. Navy fight song in Morse code, an outdoor terrace with patio interconnected to the lounge through an industrial-themed garage door, refurbished lobbies and restrooms and an underground garage. 

Located in D.C.’s fastest growing neighborhood, Capitol Riverfront, the asset is bounded by restaurants, hotels, parks, residential communities and landmarks such as Capitol Hill, Navy Yard and the Washington Nationals stadium. Transportation is facilitated by the Navy Yard/Ballpark Metro-rail station, which is located within walking distance.

During the last year, Columbia Property Trust signed leases totaling 150,000 square feet. This year marked another 50,000 square feet, reaching an occupancy level of 94 percent. The biggest deal is WeWork’s 68,673-square-foot lease brokered last November, while the most recent ones are General Dynamics Information Technology’s 13,045-square-foot expansion and Vermont Energy Investment Corp.’s 12,592-square-foot lease renewal.

 “80 M’s tenants can now expand their work into surrounding community areas that are so attractive and approachable they look like the latest must-see neighborhood hot spots, not an office building. In a city with such ties to the community and its citizens, 80 M Street is well positioned to contribute to the entire District and its values,” Gavin Hughes Daniels, co-founding principal of Wingate Hughes, said in a prepared statement.

Image courtesy of Viracon