Trying to firm up Washington’s sagging office market

There is an influx of office space in Washington, and leasing those empty offices isn’t easy. But there are some developers that have started work on high-end office locales, even before a tenant has been found,  according to the Washington Post.

There are three projects that are starting one after another in the upcoming weeks that have similar traits: Energy-efficient, nearby retail options and close to accessible transit.

In May, construction will begin on a 200,000-square-foot building  a block west of Union Station, at North Capitol and G streets. That from Steven A. Grigg, president and chief executive of Republic Properties Corp., who is confident more tenants would move in by early 2016, when the building is set for completion.

Then, a half mile up Massachusetts Avenue from the Republic Properties project, at 6th Street,  Gould Property Co. has started moving a group of historic brick row homes to make way for its own sparkling tower on 600 Massachusetts Avenue.

And In Virginia, at 4040 Wilson Blvd. in Ballston, a 20-story 426-square-foot office building will be part of the  Liberty Center complex after  Shooshan Co. and Brandywine Realty Trust  announced they started the first phase of the project, digging the parking garage. John Shooshan, president of Shooshan, said he would consider halting construction if things don’t pick up but at the same time, he is thrilled to be moving forward with this project starting with the garage construction, he said in a statement. 

All three sites are hoping the seeds they are sowing now will grow into full office buildings in the very near future

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