Design Firm Moves to Vibrant Penn Quarter to be Closer to DC-based Clients, Demonstrates Its Commitment to Downtown Washington, DC
Acclaimed interdisciplinary design firm HGA is pleased to announce its DC Metro region headquarters has moved to the historic Woodies Building in downtown Washington, DC’s Penn Quarter. The firm, which offers services in architecture, engineering, interior design, lighting design, and workplace design, took 17,557 square feet on the second floor of the building, which is located directly above Metrorail’s Metro Center station.
“We are thrilled that HGA will have a significant presence downtown,” said Jay Scruggs, principal and office director of HGA in DC. “Our DC metro region headquarters is now located in Washington’s beautiful historic Woodies Building, putting us closer to our DC-based clients and giving us a broader geographic reach for talent. Metro Center is the ideal location – offering easy access for our staff and current and potential clients to collaborate in person.”
Built in the late 1800’s, the building was home to the Woodward & Lothrop flagship department store, until it closed in the 1990’s. Douglas Development acquired the renowned landmark, re-zoned the property, fully renovated the interior, and restored the facades. HGA is located on the second floor of the 10-story Class A office space building, which features 16-foot ceilings, 12-foot windows, open floor plans, and views of the street. The building also features retail space.
“The HGA team realized that a location in the heart of Washington DC at Metro Center was the right business decision for both clients and staff. Finding a building that reflected the DNA of HGA was a challenge given the conventional nature of most office buildings in DC. The historic Woodies Building rose to the top with its one-of-a-kind ceiling heights and expansive windows due to its history as department store, making it a perfect addition to the HGA family of offices,” said Kurt Richter, vice chair with Cushman & Wakefield.
Elegant and timeless, the office space features warm wood, black metal, and color splashes of navy and plum. The renovation was a full-service project involving HGA’s architects, interior designers, lighting designers, and their mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and structural engineers, in addition to HGA’s Business Technologies Group (audio, video, and IT).
Additional design features include:
- High ceiling space
- Oversized 12-foot windows offering views of downtown
- Workstations of varying types, collaborative spaces, Zoom rooms, phone booths, huddle rooms, a design lab, a finish library, and other specially designed workspaces
- Healthy materials
- A coin wall located in the office arena space where medallions will be placed to celebrate project wins and the HGA teams involved
- An internal desk reservation system for both offices
- 24/7/365 security
“We crafted a process where every staff member had the opportunity to contribute design ideas,” said Scruggs. “Working with the process engineers in our Design Insight Group, we collected data and developed a process to design our new office with maximum efficiency while achieving the desires of the staff.”
Knowing a hybrid office was necessary, HGA’s Design insight Group developed a survey to determine the appropriate number of desks and how often employees would work in HGA’s new space each day. HGA has grown to over 110 people in the region and will host around 60 staff members each day in the space.
“The new office provides an opportunity for our staff to work together in different ways and to reinforce the collaborative culture that HGA is known for,” Scruggs said. “Another firmwide goal of HGA is to be active in our downtown neighborhoods and to contribute to the revitalization of our cities. The new office provides an avenue to get more involved in the community.”
“HGA’s move demonstrates our commitment to and investment in downtown Washington, DC,” said Bruno Grinwis, principal at HGA in DC. “We are delighted to have a presence in Washington, DC, and our team looks forward to DC’s dining options, retail stores, and entertainment, too.”
HGA’s DC office is a DowntownDC Business Improvement District partner and plans to offer its conference spaces to DC’s business organizations.
HGA will maintain a studio in Old Town Alexandria, Va. to continue to best serve its long-standing and developing client relationships in Virginia.
Project Partners:
- Broker: Cushman & Wakefield
- Building Owner: Douglas Development
- General Contractor: D/Watts
- Furniture: Price Modern, Haworth (vendor)
- Audio/Visual: Automation Arts
HGA Media Contact
Michelle Nelsen, Public Relations Director
mnelsen@hga.com