In a power move just across from the White House, White & Case is relocating its Washington office to 1701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, taking nearly the entire Grosvenor-owned building and triggering a major two-year makeover along the Penn Avenue corridor. The global firm will consolidate roughly 196,000 square feet across 12 floors and is expected to occupy about 94% of the property's office space after the repositioning, effectively reshaping one of downtown D.C.'s most visible blocks.
As reported by Bisnow, White & Case signed a lease for 196,000 square feet at Grosvenor’s 1701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, spanning 12 floors. “We’re pleased to reaffirm our long-term commitment to Washington, D.C.,” Office Executive Partner Hansel Pham said in the release quoted by Bisnow.
Grosvenor, the real estate business of the Duke of Westminster, has owned 1701 Pennsylvania since 1986 and notes the property was last renovated in 2006, according to Grosvenor. The owner highlights the building's LEED credentials and close transit access, setting it up as a logical candidate for a full trophy-style repositioning.
The transaction will kick-start a two-year renovation that includes full exterior window replacements, a new rooftop penthouse, lobby and common-area upgrades and a tenant fitness facility, with delivery expected in November 2028 and White & Case planning to move in by December 2029, Bisnow reports. Once completed, the property will total about 208,000 square feet, almost entirely anchored by the law firm.
Leasing materials for the property list Cushman & Wakefield contacts for the building, according to the building brochure from Showcase. Grosvenor plans to modernize common areas while preserving street-level retail and improving amenities to position the asset for top-tier tenants.
What This Means For The D.C. Office Market
Deals of this size help explain why certain landlords are still willing to pour money into big redevelopments even as overall vacancy sits at elevated levels. There may be plenty of vacant space in the market, but truly large, high-quality blocks remain scarce, giving owners leverage at the top end.
CBRE's Q1 2026 figures show vacancy remains high, yet note that limited trophy inventory and ongoing conversions are supporting selective redevelopment economics for premier assets. White & Case effectively joining the roster of near single-tenant anchors on Pennsylvania Avenue fits that pattern.
Timeline And What To Watch
The schedule leaves a lengthy runway for design, permitting and tenant build-outs: delivery of the renovated building is due in November 2028, with White & Case aiming to occupy the space in December 2029. Between now and then, observers will be watching permit filings, tenant-improvement submissions and visible construction activity on the 1701 block as the project moves from lease announcement to full build.
For downtown workers and nearby businesses, the White & Case move signals an extended construction season and underscores the widening split between amenity-rich trophy offices and older commodity product. Stakeholders will be tracking filings and further announcements as Grosvenor and the firm translate the lease into a bricks-and-mortar transformation of Pennsylvania Avenue.
