Savills Studley Represents the American Society of Interior Designers in Headquarters Relocation
ASID to be One of First in Region to Pursue WELL Building® Certification
Savills Studley is pleased to announce that its client, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), has completed a long-term lease agreement and will relocate its headquarters to 1152 15th Street, N.W., Columbia Center, Washington, D.C.
The Society’s future headquarters is ideally situated in a centrally-located area bordering the East End and Central Business Districts. Columbia Center, an existing trophy building, will be part of the new Fannie Mae headquarters on the former Washington Post site. The completed project will include over 40,000 square feet of retail and light-filled, soaring courtyard space connecting the buildings, as well as several visionary design elements.
ASID engaged Savills Studley to assist in the sale of its headquarters building on Capitol Hill where it occupied office space spanning three floors. Upon the sale of the building, ASID elected to relocate to interim space and try various office configuration concepts before determining the ideal plan for the organization. The goal was to foster innovation and opportunities for collaboration. After thoughtful evaluation, ASID was ready to commit to a long-term home.
As an organization at the forefront of the design world, ASID will be one of the first tenants in the region to pursue WELL Building® certification for its space. The WELL Building Standard® is an evidence-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring the performance of building features that impact health and well-being. It is administered by the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI), a public benefit corporation whose mission is to improve human health and well-being through the built environment. WELL is a third-party certified by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which administers LEED certification and professional credentialing.
“Throughout the search process we focused on finding a permanent home for ASID that complemented their commitment to being a progressive association,” said Wendy Feldman Block, corporate managing director of Savills Studley. “Once the Society’s leadership decided to pursue WELL Building certification, we guided the process to ensure that the lease agreement, design of the space, and construction of the premises would be in compliance with the new certification. This required close collaboration with the architecture team at Perkins & Will, along with the building ownership, general contractor Rand, and outside consultants.
“We chose to pursue WELL Building certification because our new headquarters space should demonstrate the power of healthier, smarter work environments for enhanced productivity and collaboration amongst our staff and members,” said ASID CEO Randy Fiser.
Corporate Managing Director Wendy Feldman Block, Executive Managing Director Vernon Knarr, Managing Director Parker Lange, Associate Jeffrey Harps, and Director of Project Management Services David Simmons represented ASID throughout the transaction.
Move-in date is schedule for February/March 2016.
About ASID
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) believes that design transforms lives. ASID serves the full range of the interior design profession and practice through the Society’s programs, networks, and advocacy. We thrive on the strength of cross-functional and interdisciplinary relationships among designers of all specialties, including workplace, healthcare, retail and hospitality, education, institutional, and residential. We lead interior designers in shared conversations around topics that matter: from evidence-based and human-centric design to social responsibility, well-being, and sustainability. We showcase the impact of design on the human experience and the value interior designers provide.
ASID was founded 40 years ago when two organizations became one, but its legacy dates back to the early 1930s. As we celebrate nearly 85 years of industry leadership, we are leading the future of interior design, continuing to integrate the advantages of local connections with national reach, of small firms with big, and of the places we live with the places we work, play, and heal. Learn more at asid.org.
About Savills Studley
Savills Studley is the leading commercial real estate services firm specializing in tenant representation. Founded in 1954, the firm pioneered the conflict-free business model of representing only tenants in their commercial real estate transactions. Today, supported by high quality market research and in-depth analysis, Savills Studley provides strategic real estate solutions to organizations across all industries. The firm’s comprehensive commercial real estate platform includes brokerage, project management, capital markets, consulting and corporate services. With 27 offices in the U.S.and a heritage of innovation, Savills Studley is well known for tenacious client advocacy and exceptional service.
The firm is part of London-headquartered Savills plc, the premier global real estate service provider with over 30,000 professionals in over 60 countries around the world. Savills plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SVS.L).
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