This eight-story renovation-in-place of a law firm office also included a façade replacement on the 12th floor. A glass skin was added to provide views to the new rooftop terrace and enhance daylighting in the café. The architect further opened the space by cutting a dramatic three-story atrium into the building on floors 10-12.
GHT provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering and commissioning for the occupied renovation. Challenges included:
- Designing a smoke evacuation system for the three-story atrium
- Creating fuel oil storage in the garage to support a new backup generator on the roof
Additional unique design elements for the 12th floor include a commercial kitchen and a rooftop air handling unit for additional cooling capacity. Cooling for the majority of the tenant space is provided by fan-powered Variable Air Volume (VAV) system with electric reheat at the perimeter.
Renovation of the fifth floor, Phase I of the project, is pursuing LEED Certification. Phase II, which encompassed the remaining seven floors, was permitted under the DC Green Construction Code.
