Akelius Breaks Ground on DC Redevelopment Project
By Keith Loria August 17, 2020 9:05 am
reprints
Akelius has begun the redevelopment of 1401 Massachusetts Avenue, a planned 52,000-square-foot office building in Washington, D.C., according to JLL (JLL), who is leasing the property.
The building near Thomas Circle and next to the National City Christian Church, which originally housed church functions, is currently four stories. The redevelopment will add a fifth floor and an amenity space on the penthouse level.
“It’s an unreal location at the base of the 14th Street residential and retail corridor,” Doug Mueller, JLL’s executive managing director, told Commercial Observer.
Akelius originally acquired the property from Rock Creek in May 2019.
“By building ready-to-use office space, our goal is to provide accessible options for tenants who are ready to jump in and get right to work,” Dan McCarron, Akelius’ asset manager, said in a release. “We know the JLL team has a strong handle on market dynamics and feel confident we are going to see a really interesting mix signing on at 1401 Mass.—including ourselves as we will be one of the building tenants.”
Once completed, the building will feature 14-foot ceiling heights, a rooftop conference space and deck, an outdoor courtyard and 6-foot operable windows on three sides of every floor. It will also house a 4,000-square-foot fitness center.
Additionally, Akelius is seeking LEED Platinum and WELL Silver Certification for the property and has invested in touchless access points, state-of-the-art HVAC and the opportunity for outside air flow.
“The D.C. office market is one of the most resilient in the country,” Mueller said. “The renovations and investments that Akelius is making here by not only melding old and new, but also leaning into the importance of environmental psychology for the benefit of the employee, are truly next level.”
The project is expected to deliver in the second quarter of 2021.
Joining Mueller in the leasing efforts are JLL’s Evan Behr and Mac Hall.
