1100 New York Avenue

  • Client
    JLL
  • Location
    Washington, DC
  • Size
    495,000-SF
Interior shot of a lobby and staircase
Awards
2026 Washington Building Congress Craftsmanship Award - Architectural Millwork

Project Brief

The 92,500-square-foot repositioning of 1100 New York Avenue has transformed an existing 514,000-square-foot Class A office building in Washington, DC, anchored by the historic Greyhound Bus Terminal. Owned by Manulife in a joint venture, the project reimagines the property’s arrival, conference, amenity, wellness, and rooftop experiences while drawing inspiration from the character of the original terminal.

The terminal is an important part of Washington’s Civil Rights history: the first Freedom Riders departed from the station in 1961. The exterior was already designated as a DC historic landmark when the project began, and during the renovation the designation was expanded to include portions of the historic interior, including the former waiting room. Preserved when the larger office building was developed around it in the early 1990s, the terminal remains central to the property's identity.

The repositioning transforms previously underutilized spaces into destinations for working, hosting events and more. Through a connected sequence of spaces extending from the historic entrance through the atrium, second-floor amenities, and rooftop, the project creates a more cohesive workplace experience.

Innovation and Uniqueness

The project’s defining innovation is the decision to shift the building’s “center of gravity” into the main atrium. Previously, the atrium primarily functioned as a pass-through space for tenants traveling to the elevators. The renovation transforms it into an active hub with a renewed arrival experience, café, gathering opportunities, and a stronger visual and physical connection to the second-floor conference and lounge areas.

The design establishes a contemporary workplace experience while drawing directly from the building’s historic identity. Curved forms, layered lighting, warm materials, and a refined palette reference the terminal’s Streamline Moderne architecture and create a visual thread connecting the historic entry to the newly renovated workplace environments.

Overcoming Challenges

Executing this transformation in an occupied building required careful planning, coordination, and communication. The project team—including the JLL Management and Engineering team, Gensler’s architectural team, and the DAVIS construction team-worked closely together to proactively ensure project updates and tenant communication exceed expectations and minimized any impact to the tenants throughout his process. Much of the demolition occurred during off-hours, and rooftop work was affected by weather throughout the construction period.

The penthouse presented an additional challenge because a primary tenant and its CEO occupied space directly below the work area. Installation of new roof drains required careful coordination of access, sequencing, and tenant operations. In the atrium, tenants also needed to maintain access between two elevator banks, meaning the central space could not simply be closed during construction. The team developed pedestrian protection and sequencing measures that allowed tenants to safely move through the building while major work was underway.

The repositioning successfully changed both the physical experience and potential of 1100 New York Avenue. Spaces that once primarily supported circulation or remained underutilized now serve as destinations for gathering, working, hosting events, exercising, and recharging. 1100 New York Avenue demonstrates how adaptive reuse extends the life of a historic building.

Communal area in an office building
Communal area in penthouse of an office building