Brutalist To Trophy: Akin Gump Departure Gives Boston Properties New Opportunity
Lobbying giant Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld is leaving the Robert S. Strauss building in Dupont Circle for K Street. Landlord Boston Properties is using the departure to turn its Brutalist building into a trophy.
Boston Properties has plans to extensively re-clad and renovate its 12-story office building at 1333 New Hampshire Ave. NW while maintaining the core structure, the Washington Business Journal reports. The concrete exterior would most likely disappear in favor of an all-glass facade. The real estate investment trust has selected Fox Architects to design the renovation.
Boston Properties is renovating rather than demolishing due to zoning in the area that would make it unlikely a new project could have the same height and density as the existing building. Akin Gump will vacate its 290K SF in the Strauss building in 2019. Boston Properties has structured the rest of the tenant leases in the building to expire at the same time to conduct renovations while the building is empty.
