This week, Bozzuto Group president Toby Bozzuto gave us a tour of the firm's new Greenbelt HQ space at 6406 Ivy Lane, which it moved into about a month ago. Toby says the firm took almost 35k more SF in the new digs (about 105k SF compared to the 70k SF it occupied down the street on Walker Drive), and that as the company grows, it'll have the ability to expand even more within the building. 350 of the firm's 1,900 employees are working out of the new space, which Toby tells us was designed to have an open, light-filled vibe to promote collaboration among coworkers.
One of the hallmarks of that idea is the massive staircase that connects the four floors Bozzuto occupies on the top half of the building. (It also occupies some space on the ground floor.) Toby says the stairs were created not only to promote a little exercise (there's also a large gym on the ground floor), but to foster random conversations while heading from point A to point B. The firm decided against putting extended kitchens on each floor and instead built in a large cafe (or the "town square," as Toby calls it) to encourage even more employee collisions.
Part of making things feel more open was the authenticity of materials the firm used, like marble, glass, and the wood panels seen here in the lobby. "I'm on a bit of a wood kick," says Toby, who adds that he wanted the new space to feel "almost like a home office." Other bells and whistles on the way include programmed health and wellness classes, fresh food delivered by local merchants, and communal bikes.
Toby also gave us the lowdown on where the firm stands. It's managing about 50,000 units from the Mid-Atlantic up to Boston, has about $350M in yearly construction revenues, and is developing about 3,500 rental units. The homes division has about 500 units in the pipeline too, he says, including the 460 New York Ave and 15th and V high-rise condo projects. Developing outside the Mid-Atlantic is a big push, Toby tells us, and he hopes the firm will soon start projects in Boston and Philly, among other markets.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)