Category: Press releases

Back in 2019, when Columbia Property Trust was mulling how to increase the height of its existing 90-ft, seven-story, concrete-framed office building at 80 M St. SE in Washington, D.C., it chose a mass timber frame over a steel frame for an addition atop the oldest high-rise in the Navy Yard neighborhood. That was a ground-breaking choice. It would mean that the facility would  be D.C.’s first mass timber commercial office building.

Mass timber is capable of achieving a total carbon footprint equal to one-third of similarly sized concrete and steel buildings. Plus, research suggests timber-built architecture can boost a person’s morale, productivity and sense of wellness. Meet Jesse Stephens, Senior Director of Project Management at Columbia Property Trust. Jesse is a leader on the first mass timber vertical expansion in Washington D.C., 80M Street.

This film is in partnership with Think Wood, The Wood Products Counsel, and the team at Hickok Cole.

When Columbia Property Trust Inc. wanted to expand an office building in the Navy Yard submarket in Washington, D.C., the REIT was keen to generate excitement for the property and demonstrate its commitment to sustainability. The company turned to one of the world’s oldest building materials—wood—to achieve both.

Globally, the number of new mass timber buildings will double every two years, reaching 24,000 by 2034, according to the 2020 North American Mass Timber report issued by the Forest Business Network. Should this turn out to be true, by 2034, the North American building industry will also store more carbon than it emits.

The use of mass timber in U.S. commercial real estate has been growing rapidly over the past six years, spurred by official recognition of its safety and strength. Corporate leaders have also come under increasing pressure to make environmentally friendly business choices, leading to an uptick in new mass timber developments, which have a lower impact on the environment than using concrete or steel.

Columbia Property Trust has announced the topping off of 80 M Street’s three-floor mass timber vertical expansion. The project will add 105,000 square feet boutique-style space atop Columbia’s existing Capitol Riverfront office building. Once completed in 2022, it will become D.C.’s first commercial offices to rely primarily on mass timber and glass.

Once completed in 2022, it will become D.C.’s first commercial offices to rely primarily on mass timber and glass, as well as the first overbuild in the nation to utilize mass timber as its main design element.

Executives from Columbia Property Trust were joined on April 22 by general contractor DAVIS Construction, architecture and design firm Hickok Cole, construction firm Katerra, and a group of trade partners to celebrate the official topping out of 80 M Street’s three-floor mass timber vertical expansion.

Columbia Property Trust has announced plans for an extensive transformation of the entrance, lobby, and amenity offerings at 80 M Street, its Washington D.C. office building.

The CREBA Awards ceremony, typically a huge event where D.C.’s commercial real estate industry comes together to celebrate the year’s best performers, was held virtually last week for the second consecutive year.