The squat, concrete Jackson Graham building that once housed the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is getting a full-on glow-up. At 600 Fifth St NW, Rockefeller Group and Stonebridge are turning the former Metro headquarters into a full-block, trophy office in Penn Quarter, with roughly 400,000 square feet of Class A space, stepped terraces, a penthouse amenity level and new ground-floor retail. The team is eyeing a spring 2026 opening as it refashions the property for law firms and corporate tenants that want something shinier than legacy downtown space.
According to Bisnow, plans call for private outdoor terraces on every other floor, a glass curtain wall to flood interiors with natural light and a conditioned penthouse that will feature a tenant lounge, coffee bar and flexible conference area. Amenities are set to include a ground-floor fitness center with yoga studio, secure bike storage with showers and a dedicated outdoor air system with MERV-13 filtration. The developers are targeting WELL and LEED Gold certifications. Bisnow also notes that the building will host its Washington State of the Market event on April 23, an early opportunity to show off the site to downtown players.
Design and engineering
Design duties fell to Pickard Chilton, which reworked the original eight-story block and layered on new floors and stepped terraces to open up views toward Judiciary Square and the U.S. Capitol, according to Pickard Chilton. Structural engineer Thornton Tomasetti reports that the expansion leans on strategic steel framing, a relocated elevator core and a new lateral system to make the vertical addition possible while limiting impacts on existing foundations and nearby Metro infrastructure. Clark Construction is serving as general contractor and has focused on phased work and protection measures around transit assets bordering the site.
Leasing and tenants
A key milestone came when international law firm Crowell & Moring signed a long-term prelease for roughly 198,877 square feet to anchor the upper floors, according to a Rockefeller Group announcement. Commercial Observer characterized the commitment as one of the largest private-sector office leases in the District in recent years, a deal that helped secure financing and move the project into full construction. Current marketing materials list spec suites of about 3,500 to 7,500 square feet and contiguous blocks up to roughly 165,000 square feet, signaling that both smaller professional firms and larger corporate users are in the crosshairs.
Neighborhood and timing
The address at 600 Fifth sits where Penn Quarter meets Judiciary Square, a short walk from Gallery Place and Metro Center stations and directly across Sixth Street from Capital One Arena. Local coverage notes that the arena is in the midst of a significant, multi-year renovation now expected to wrap in 2027, a makeover that developers say should boost event-driven foot traffic and help support new street-level retail, according to WTOP. That timeline lines up with 600 Fifth’s planned spring 2026 delivery, creating the potential for more daytime workers and a livelier restaurant scene in the immediate area.
Market context
Bringing a true trophy building to downtown Washington is notable in a market where shiny new office space has been in short supply. Recent coverage has described 600 Fifth as a rare luxury arrival in a city with a thin pipeline of top-tier product. CoStar and regional reports point out that much of the action lately has been focused on lease renewals and selective conversions, so a strong lease-up here would send a signal about how much tenants are willing to pay for amenities like terraces, upgraded HVAC and a more energized streetscape. For brokers and developers, the gamble is that high-end features and a prime location will coax larger users back into the office market.
What developers say
“The amenity richness, such as the terraces, fitness offerings, communal penthouse spaces and enhanced public space activation, helps knit the building into the urban fabric,” Stonebridge principal Doug Firstenberg told Bisnow. Hilary Goldfarb of Rockefeller Group has described the site as “a magnet for firms seeking top talent,” language the venture is using to lure legal, policy and corporate tenants. CBRE’s leasing team is lining up tours as completion nears and plans to begin moving tenants into the upper floors later this year.
