1625 Eye Street

American Real Estate Partners (AREP) engaged OTJ Architects to lead the $5-million transformation of 1625 Eye Street, a class-A trophy office building, located in the heart of Washington’s business district, steps away from the White House. The renovation centers on wellness, performance, and connectivity through the addition of monumental light fixtures, bold and oversized custom art pieces, as well as a reimagined rooftop that capitalizes on panoramic views of the Monument.

Rooted in an exacting, tenant-centric market study, OTJ’s design reintroduces an underutilized asset as a vibrant hospitality-inspired destination bursting with color and energy. Prior to our intervention, the property’s lobby was little more than pass-through – liminal corporate real estate that failed to energize leasing activity. Yet OTJ and the client understood early on that the lobby presented a unique opportunity to telegraph a signature brand to a demanding tenant base. Today, the nine-story atrium is anchored by two 14-by-14-foot LED chandeliers and flanked by two complementary 14x15 canvas paintings by emerging San Francisco artist Nicole Mueller. Together, these towering gestures help define a unique sense of place and spark the imagination of tenants and visitors alike in a city where office buildings often feel anonymous. Contemporary furnishings upholstered in resilient yet luxurious fabrics and leather further underscore 1625 Eye’s boutique design direction.

Additional amenities include an entertainment-ready rooftop terrace, expanded conference facilities, and a state-of-the-art fitness facility complete with yoga room, glass entry, surrounding wood wall, and flat screen televisions. A new bike room offers storage for 50bikes total on 18 wall-mounted racks and 32 floor racks while a Dero Fixit service station provides the tools necessary to perform repairs and maintenance, from changing a flat to adjusting brakes. Optimized for wellness, 1625 Eye Street is WELL Health-Safety rated from the International Well Building Institute and the UL Healthy Building Verification for Indoor Air. In addition, 1625 Eye Street is LEED certified at the Gold level and is WIREDSCORE Gold rated for digital connectivity.