Grosvenor Signs Law Firm to Nearly Full-Building Lease in DC

May 8, 2026

Office Brokerage Mid-Atlantic News More Washington D.C.

The tenant will move in following a series of renovations.

International law firm White & Case has signed a lease for 196,000 square feet at 1701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington, D.C. The firm will take 12 floors of the Grosvenor-owned property, or about 94 percent of it, beginning in 2029, after a series of renovations are undertaken.

The renovations will include full exterior window replacements, a new rooftop penthouse, lobby and common area improvements and a new fitness facility, according to Bisnow.

Grosvenor acquired 1701 Pennsylvania, which was developed in the early 1960s, in 1986. The property is a block from the White House. Following the acquisition, Grosvenor modernized the HVAC system and replaced it with a fully automated and more energy-efficient VAV-based system.

The transit-oriented property is two blocks from the Farragut West Metro station, serving various Metro lines. The building is LEED Gold-certified as well as Energy Star- and WiredScore Gold-certified. In 2020, the property became subject to a $92 million loan held by Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, according to Yardi Matrix data.

White & Case’s D.C. office is currently at One Metro Center, a 10-story office building owned by Jamestown. The New York-based law firm has 43 offices in 29 countries and employs more than 2,600 lawyers, 693 of whom are partners.

Cushman & Wakefield Director John Skolnik and Vice Chair Michael Katcher represented Grosvenor in the deal, while JLL represented White & Case.

Law firms want new D.C. space

Other law firms have been seeking new office space in Washington, D.C., recently as well. Sidley Austin is planning to anchor BXP’s new office building at 2100 M St. NW under a 240,000-square-foot commitment.

At the end of 2025, BXP completed the acquisition of the existing property, a nearly 300,000-square-foot office building, which it plans to demolish. AllianceBernstein sold the asset for $55 million in a deal brokered by Eastdil Secured.

Also last year, international law firm Milbank LLP moved to more than 64,000 square feet over two floors at 1101 New York Ave. NW, a 379,329-square-foot property in D.C.’s East End submarket.