NKF to Lease Iconic DC Office Building

By Razvan Cimpean

Metropolitan Square in Washington, D.C. exterior

A joint venture between Boston Properties, Blackstone and Equity Office appointed Newmark Knight Frank as the leasing agent for Metropolitan Square in Washington, D.C.

Located at 655 15th St. N.W., the 670,000-square-foot LEED Gold certified building sits next to the White House. The asset also offers easy access to multiple bus stations, restaurants and hotels, including Pinea, POV, W Washington DC and InterContinental. Tenants at Metropolitan Square include Old Ebbitt Grill, Citibank and District of Columbia Movers and Moving Services. Currently, the property is 79.1 percent occupied, after WeWork recently leased 117,000 square feet for its new branch. The 12-floor asset also features more than 20,000 square feet of retail space and nearly 600 parking spaces.

NKF’s Chairman of Asset Services Brendan Owen, Executive Managing Director Edwin Clark III, Associate Director Rafael Notario and Associate Morgan Monroe will handle leasing at Metropolitan Square. Additionally, Regional Marketing Director Alicia Karr will be in charge of marketing initiatives to rebrand and reposition the building. Earlier this month, Oxford Properties Group selected NKF to handle the leasing of the nearby 900 Sixteenth St., a 128,000-square-foot trophy D.C. office building.

Upcoming renovations

Rendering of interior renovations at Metropolitan Square

The owners also retained Gensler to design a series of renovations scheduled for completion in 2020. The upgrades at Metropolitan Square will include new lobby finishes and atrium glass, new common areas, a fitness center and a new conference facility. The building will also feature a bike storage facility, rooftop terrace and multiple collaborative spec suites.

“Adjacent to the White House and overlooking the Treasury Department, National Mall, Washington Monument and Potomac River, the building’s powerful location combined with the new renovations will result in Metropolitan Square once again becoming one of Washington’s most coveted assets,” Owen said in a prepared statement.

Images courtesy of Newmark Knight Frank