Timber! Two-Story Wood Addition Proposed For Office Building North of Nats Park

• October 25th 2019

by UrbanTurf Staff

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A new design concept is being proposed for an office building one block north of Nats Park. 

Columbia Property Trust has filed plans with DC to renovate the seven-story office building at 80 M Street SE (map) and construct a two-story addition. Hickok Cole designed the renovation and addition. 

The vertical addition will consist of a new glass curtainwall with metal trim, but perhaps most interesting is the incorporation of wood into the design. Mass timber will be the primary material used in construction of the addition. 

Timber is being used for its environmental benefits and because its integration "for structural and design components will deliver a new level of definition to the development and to the surrounding area," per documents filed with the Zoning Commission. 

Wood will also be the primary ingredient in the building's new wood "soffit" or the prominent overhang design element of the addition. 

"The soffit will have a three-dimensional gradient design that mimics the geographical convergence of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, adding an artful form to the building’s public presence that is compelling from both a visual and conceptual level and creatively expresses the unique perch the District occupies at the nexus of these two channels," according to zoning documents. 

“As long-term investors, we believe the evolution of the Ballpark District into a true mixed-use, seven-days-a-week destination will continue to create incremental demand from office occupiers," David Cheikin of Columbia Property Trust told UrbanTurf. "We believe 80 M Street offers this type of opportunity and are exploring what the potential impacts would be to our tenants, the building and the community.” 

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/timber-two-story-wood-addition-proposed-for-office-building-north-of-nats-p/16066.