GW prepares to break ground on Pennsylvania Avenue office building project

Media Credit: Rendering courtesy of GW's Office of Media Relations

Preparation work has begun for a new construction project on Pennsylvania Avenue, although an official date for breaking ground has not yet been announced.

Updated: Jan. 26, 2015 at 3:44 p.m.

The University could break ground on its newest construction project by as early as next fall, transforming a portion of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Preparation work is beginning for the 11-story office building, though a date has not been set for demolition of the existing buildings, said University spokesman Kurtis Hiatt. He said the project will last about two and a half years.

And as the construction date looms, the project's developer will now have to begin the process of selecting tenants to fill the 250,000-square-foot space.

Potential anchoring tenants in the building which would use a significant amount of the space and lure ground-floor retailers could include law firms or health care companies, said John Katkish, an executive in residence professor at American University.

Katkish said officials should aim to fill at least half of the building by the time construction begins a signal that the space inside will be in-demand.

If you can find only 10, 20 or 30 percent, then thats a sign you may be building the wrong product. What the market demands is key. You dont want to build a building a market doesnt want, Katkish said.

Finding a main tenant for the building will also be a critical step toward filling the 7,000 square feet of street-level retail available, said David Versel, a senior research assistant at George Mason Universitys Center for Regional Analysis.

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GW prepares to break ground on Pennsylvania Avenue office building project