GSA took a major first step in the modernization of its historic headquarters building today with the award of a 288,255 square foot lease to Stonebridge Carras. The building, One Constitution Square, located at 1275 First Street NE, will be used as swing space to house approximately 1,200 GSA employees while their headquarters at 1800 F Street NW undergoes an extensive modernization funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
“GSA’s historic century-old limestone building will be transformed into an iconic national landmark of sustainable building design. It will showcase how GSA is using innovative technologies and alternative energy solutions to create high-performance green federal buildings all over the country,” said Stephen R. Leeds, GSA Senior Sustainability Officer. “We are very excited to award this lease and be a part of the North of Massachusetts Avenue (NoMa) community while our headquarters undergoes this much-needed modernization.”
The renovated facility will be designed to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and an energy-star rating for its use of sustainable building technologies, including new, efficient building systems, water conservation and nearly 800 photovoltaic panels to generate on-site renewable energy.
“Our use of green technology in this project will create jobs in both traditional construction sectors and emerging green industries,” said Leeds. “Energy efficiency is a top priority in the modernized facility, which will also preserve the building’s historic spaces and character. A light-filled atrium, an additional 105,000 square feet of space, a high performance workplace environment, and smart security are just a few of the innovative improvements planned.
“The benefits of the lease, alone, are significant,” Leeds added. “This lease is one of the largest in the D.C. market this year, absorbing a major portion of available space in a soft leasing environment. In addition, the design for the new leased space will begin almost immediately, creating many jobs in the local architectural/engineering sector.”
Design work for the temporary headquarters will begin later this month with the actual move to take place in the spring of 2011.
GSA was appropriated more than $5.5 billion under the Recovery Act to convert federal buildings into high-performance green buildings, and build new, energy-efficient federal buildings, courthouses and land ports of entry. These projects will deliver lasting progress toward modernizing the nation’s infrastructure, reducing the federal government’s consumption of energy and water, and increasing the use of clean and renewable sources of energy.
