Rise of the Underclass

Repositioning Class B Office Buildings

By Iliad Terra, Director of Interiors, DVA Architects

& Erica Bazow, VP of Business Development, ADI Construction

The entry promenade creates an inviting sequence of events and spaces that guides the visitor
through monumental stairs and an outdoor seating area to the enrty.
Glass wall for private offices permit generous daylight access for interior workspaces.

2800 Wins 2015 NAIOP Award

We are happy to announce our 2800 Eisenhower Avenue project in the City of Alexandria
is the 2015 Northern Virginia NAIOP Award of Merit winner in the best Building Repositioning / Capital Improvements category.
DVA Architects, in close collaboration with Akridge, Cushman & Wakeeld and ADI
Construction, has delivered an exceptional renovation project that has repositioned an
aging Class-B oce building in the thriving Alexandria market into a vibrant Class-A
property responsive to current market trends, all under extraordinary budgetary
constraints.

he Washington DC Regions competitive real estate market stands to benet

from intelligent design and renovation solutions that help property owners
reposition outdated and under leased Class B and C oce buildings. The Class B
market is especially positioned to capitalize from today's leasing environment as
tenants expect more amenities, green buildings and lower price points, or Class A
space. Current market conditions oer both advantages and challenges for Class
B and C assets as shifting tenant proles emerge, oering new opportunities to
lease Class B space in order to keep costs manageable.
Continued ...

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Rise of the Underclass

Repositioning Class B Office Buildings
...The challenge is, most Class B and C buildings do not
oer modern technology requirements, lack
sought-after open oor plates, and are missing key
amenities expected by tenants in the market. As a
result, these properties lose potential lessees to Class
A assets and newer oce spaces. To further
compound matters, Class B rent prices have consistently risen due to general economic conditions.
Due to market uctuations and the possibility of
obsolescence, Class B and C oce properties are
increasingly in need of adapting. While the future of
individual properties depends on location and need
for low-cost oce space, intelligent design and eective repositioning campaigns can make these properties marketable by repositioning them to be competitive Class A assets.
Savvy owners are aware of this trend and are turning
to architectural and design rms to provide consulting services for renovations to help reposition and
rebrand properties. A strong market-tailored brand
helps property managers, asset managers and
brokers eectively promote their buildings

Elegant outdoor furniture creates comfortable terrace seating and brings a splash of color that compliments interior color palette.

Market Snapshot
emand for Class B and C oce space is steadily on
the rise throughout the nation; especially in the DC
Metro Region, demand for Class B and C space rose 3
% between year-end 2013 and rst-quarter 2015.

Asking Rent

Data Provided by Cushman & Wakefield

Increasingly, Landlords and property managers

recognize the value of transforming a buildings
public spaces to provide amenities for their tenants.
The repositioning of 2800 Eisenhower Avenue entails
a full suite of amenities that include cafes, public
gathering spaces, conference rooms and a tness
center. Modern tenants want buildings with convenient facilities that help increase productivity and job
satisfaction in the workplace

Showcase
In 2015, Akridge assembled a repositioning team
comprised of ADI Construction, Cushman & Wakeeld and DVA Architects to renovate and redesign key
elements of the 2800 Eisenhower Avenue property in
Alexandria, Virginia. The building was a stale and
dated concept, not in sync with contemporary
market demands; both the exterior and interior of
this Class B property were in disrepair and had not
been renovated in many years. In a comprehensive
overhaul, the buildings exterior stairs and terrace,
main lobby, elevator lobbies, bathrooms, and all
amenities were upgraded. Continued...

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Rise of the Underclass

Repositioning Class B Office Buildings
...Akridge has worked with DVA on many projects over the
years. Most recently, Akridge engaged your rm at 2800
Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria, Virginia to lighten and
brighten the common areas, which included the installation
of a new building entrance stair; nish and lighting
upgrades in the main entrance lobby, ground oor, and
second oor elevator lobbies; and rest room nish, lighting,
vanity, and partition upgrades on all four occupied oors.
DVA was further engaged to redesign the tness center, and
incorporate a conference center in the project.
Akridge is very pleased with the results of working with DVA
on this project - a great design with adherence to a tight
budget. We look forward to working with DVA on more
projects. --Joseph G Svatos - Senior Vice President, Akridge

The Team worked closely to analyze regional market

trends and to identify cost-eective, design solutions
with impact for the owner. While the buildings
strength was its location in the booming Alexandria
Market, its weaknesses included outdated nishes
and the lack of amenities. Without an upgrade,
potential tenants would overlook the property.
DVA Architects designed a concept that incorporates
a light-lled minimalist theme that gives an open and
inviting character to the building. Linear LED light
xtures play a key role throughout the spaces, accentuating white walls clad in imported ceramic tiles.
The highlight of the main lobby is the honey onyx
backlit reception desk that serves as a focal point.

Custom preserved moss painting, depicts an aerial map of

Alexandria, VA, including the Potomac River, 495 bridge, and
highlighting the 2800 Eisenhower Avenue building.

The entry stairs were recongured to create an

inviting promenade with an outdoor terrace,
furnished with imported lounge seating and accented by linear wall light strips. The new stair design
replaced multiple stairs, safety enhancements, and
added landscaping and project identity.
Other tenant improvements included building a
modern conference room, enlarging the tness
center and providing a modern vending cafe, all
located o the main lobby. To further enhance
leasing potential, the team built three speculative
oce suites totaling 6,100 square feet on the main
oor in an open plan layout
The new lobby offers a clean minimalist experience highlighted with a feature back-lit glass reception desk and complimentary art piece.

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Rise of the Underclass

Repositioning Class B Office Buildings

Construction Team, to ensure the project ran smoothly.

With high-end ceramic tile imported from Italy, to a custom
back lit reception desk, the materials designed seemed
logistically impossible to obtain in the timeframe that was
given. With constant communication to suppliers, vendors,
marketing reps and delivery services, ADI Construction
procured these items on time to meet the project deadlines.

Spec suite finishes help create a pleasant environment inspired

by a natural palette accented by splashes of color.

DVAs sleek design of this contemporary makeover of a Class

B building truly makes it a diamond in the rough amongst
others in its vicinity. It was a pleasure to work with The
Team on this project. It was a lengthy project which
required constant attention and communication.--Je
Rombola - Project Manager, ADI Construction
The main entrance to the building is through its north elevation
the campus. The entry promenade brightens and invites.

Benefits of Teamwork

Trend

rom the onset of the project, the team evaluated

the property holistically and contextually, realistically
assessing its potential, and developing a renovation
strategy. Establishing an accurate budget and project
schedule from the beginning helped the team keep
the project on track through completion.
A key strength of the 2800 Eisenhower repositioning
team was the clear and eective communication
between DVA Architects and ADI Construction. This
collaborative eort positively impacted the
bottom-line, eliminating the need for RFIs and COs,
and keeping the project on schedule and on budget.
Achieving this building transformation was not an easy
task. Countless hours were spent behind the scenes
working side-by-side with DVAs design team and Akridge,
to ensure the project was installed on time and on budget.
Creating a realistic working schedule was the rst of many
collaborative eorts implemented prior to mobilizing the

positive reaction of the prospective tenant community

and has seen increased interest due to the successful
building transformation

The projects upgrades include construction of a new state of

the art conferencing center as a building amenity.

Early Success
hile still in the early construction phase, prospective tenants were given the ability to see 3D design
renderings, materials finish boards, and marketing
materials. As the project renovation approaches final
completion, the building announced the signing of its
first 30,000 square foot tenant. The Cushman &
WakefieldLeasing Team has been pleased with the

s regional and national oce markets adapt to

address shifts and transformations in work environments and practices, intelligent asset repositioning is
critical. Eective teams will take into account market
trends, sustainable design and smart business
practices to make Class B oce properties highly
sought after by tenants and extremely attractive
investment opportunities for owners. The project
delivered by the ADI Construction, Akridge, Cushman
& Wakeeldand DVA Architects Team exemplies a
successful transformation of a Class B building into a
Class A property, within budget and on schedule,
resulting in increased property value
For further information contact:
Iliad Terra - ITerra@dva-arch.com
www.dva-arch.com
Erica Bazow - EBazow@adigc.com
www.adigc.com

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