Columbia Property Trust secures 81,300 s/f of leasing at 1800 M Street in Washington, DC

©Nicholas Waring of Waring Photography

Washington, DC — Columbia Property Trust, Inc. announced that it has finalized a new lease and two lease extensions totaling 81,341 s/f at 1800 M St. NW, its repositioned 565,000 s/f office tower in the heart of Washington, DC’s Central Business District.

Columbia signed 10-year lease extensions with two General Services Administration tenants to maintain their footprints on 1800 M’s sixth floor through at least 2035. The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBOCA) will remain in 48,598 s/f, while the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) will retain its 8,872 s/f space. Both organizations have been tenants at 1800 M for over a decade.

Columbia also secured a new 23,871 s/f lease with a prominent full-service, national law firm. Under the 12-year lease, the firm will occupy a portion of the 10th fl. in March 2026.

Over the last 12 months, Columbia has secured more than 159,000 s/f of new leases, extensions and expansions at the class A tower, which is 90 percent leased. Just last month, Columbia announced an agreement with DC’s celebrated Balos Restaurant Group to create a new full-service Italian restaurant at 1800 M, with a planned opening of Spring 2026.

This momentum comes as Columbia executes a series of renovations targeting key building amenities to further enhance 1800 M’s strong position within the vibrant Golden Triangle neighborhood. Columbia is currently creating an expansive conference facility and lounge, as well as a reimagined rooftop terrace, lobby and concourse level, all of which will be completed late this year.

“We are in regular communication with our tenants across all our markets to drive our decisions on how to curate the perfect environments to maximize their productivity,” said Ted Koltis, Columbia’s executive vice president and Head of Real Estate. “This recent leasing velocity demonstrates the enduring appeal of well-managed, centrally located, newly-renovated and highly-amenitized environments in the country’s gateway markets and is a great indicator of the resilience of the Washington DC office market.”

Working with global design practice Perkins&Will, Columbia is adding a new conference facility that can accommodate up to 124 people. With a lounge offering an array of seating areas and a catering pantry, tenants will have access to the facility for a host of meetings and events. The rooftop terrace will also be reimagined to incorporate a new shaded canopy space, stylish furniture and planters, while the adjacent penthouse lounge will be enhanced with high-end finishes and furniture.

The tower’s lobby and concourse level will be redesigned with comfortable lounge areas and more modern and inviting finishes. A connecting stairwell will be constructed to allow easy access from the lobby to the tower’s best-in-class fitness center and parking garage. A new mother’s suite from Work&Mother will provide a dedicated lactation space for a more inclusive and supportive workplace for working mothers.

Columbia was represented in-house by Koltis and Maria Blake, vice president of real estate, on all transactions, along with a Cushman & Wakefield team of Mark Wooters, James Collins, Gina Damond, Scott Killie, Stephanie Heffernan and Darian LeBlanc. The government was represented by Brad Seifert and Hunter Powell of Public Properties.

1800 M is surrounded by scores of restaurants, hotels, and bars, and a variety of easy transit options.

Its prime location south of Dupont Circle also puts it within walking distance of some of the city’s most popular attractions, including the Smithsonian, Lafayette Square, the White House, and the National Mall. Other notable tenants at 1800 M St. include Berkeley Research Group and Wilkinson Barker Knauer.