Leading public affairs group renews and expands lease at Homer Building

WASHINGTON, DC – June 11, 2024 – JLL announced today it has secured a lease renewal and expansion for Washington, DC’s leading bipartisan government and public affairs firm, BGR Group at the Homer Building located at 601 13th Street in the heart of the East End. BGR Group signed a lease for more than 40,000-square-foot at the Homer Building, a property that is slated to begin a $25 million renovation plan later this month.

“BGR Group has a long history at The Homer Building,” said BGR President Erskine Wells. “As our team has expanded, we considered several other locations to support and accommodate our firm’s long-term growth. Ultimately, the distinctive building design coupled with the substantial planned renovations were the key factors in us committing to the Homer Building as BGR’s home.”

“The Homer Building has always been one of Washington, DC’s most iconic office buildings,” stated Evan Behr, Executive Managing Director, JLL. “The owners, Mitsui Fudosan America (MFA), made the decision to enhance this DC classic with a proactive renovation and modernization. The renovation plans include a new two-story trophy 150+ person board room in the heart of the iconic atrium lobby. Thoughtful design will maintain the classic grandeur of the historic Homer brand and infuse complimenting modern finishes and technology. The expansive roof terrace will include a new indoor glass enclosure to enjoy the expansive views of the nation’s capital and it will be available for meetings and events for building tenants. The newly expanded fitness center will feature on-site personal training and renovated pickleball court. BGR’s re-commitment to The Homer Building is proof that tenants value a modernized, building with expanding amenities in today’s market.”

“JLL has partnered with us to execute on over 82,000 square feet of leasing over the last year,” added Aimilia Vassiliou, Director, Asset Management and Leasing at Mitsui Fudosan America (MFA), which has owned the building since 2011. “To say we are pleased with this volume would be an understatement. We recently signed a 20,000 square foot lease with a trade association. SMBC Group and Rio Tinto also signed new lease agreements for The Guerry, the trophy pre-built spec suites on the building’s ninth floor. The Homer Building is an excellent example of the positive momentum in a challenging environment. We are confident this leasing momentum will continue to yield results.”

JLL’s Evan Behr, Doug Mueller, Jeanette Ko, Kristen Mathis and Meghan Murray represented Mitsui Fudosan America in the transaction while Transwestern’s John Schlegel and John Lugar represented BGR.

For more information about JLL DC, visit https://www.us.jll.com/en/locations/mid-atlantic/washington-dc.

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