Census Bureau Plans Green Headquarters

The U.S. Bureau of the Census is planning a new headquarters at Suitland Federal Center. Consolidating employees from six facilities, three of which are in the Center, the headquarters is being developed by the General Services Administration's National Capital Region (NCR) to meet the silver level of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEEDTM rating system, as well as the GSA's Design Excellence and Construction Excellence Programs. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) have been contracted to provide conceptual design, including pre-design tasks. Upon conceptual design completion, NCR will contract a design-build team to produce and build the final design. SOM's current plan delineates two eight-story buildings with natural light available to the offices via a central triangular atrium. Developed in two phases, phase one will include a 771,000-gsf office building and parking garage, with phase two, yet to be authorized, comprised of a 730,000-gsf office and parking garage. Phase one is estimated to cost $184.9 million. Construction manager for the project is DMJM/Heery.