Medical office buildings might never be as creative as other kinds of office, but medical tenants are demanding some of the same features as creative office, Trammell Crow principal Mike Nelson tells us. (Weren't hospitals the first offices to offer a place for employees to sleep?)

Mike, here in the company’s Seattle office, says the emphasis in MOBs is on natural light, fresher air and operational efficiency. For instance, besides greater efficiency and lower operating costs, new HVAC systems can provide greater volumes of fresh air, and new glazing and aluminum framing systems at curtain walls can provide greater natural light while decreasing solar gain into occupied spaces. Other in-demand features include automated energy management systems to allocate power based upon tenant consumption; advanced lighting controls that adjust lighting levels based upon daylight; and LEED Gold core and shell standards to significantly reduce water consumption.

Currently Trammell Crow is at work upgrading and expanding the 225k SF First Hill Medical Plaza, a property the company acquired last year with JV partner Washington Capital Management, to include many of these in-demand features. The partners are rehabbing the common spaces, mechanical, fire and electrical systems and tenant suites. Once complete next year, the property will feature a two-story main lobby, and new and enlarged window openings to allow for more natural light. Recently, Swedish Health Services inked a long-term lease for 24k SF in the property.