Contractor’s Side

For this project, Forrester Construction built a new 280,000 SF, five-story DOES Headquarters facility for the Department of Employment Services, an agency that plans, develops and administers employment-related services for residents of the District.

The new facility includes office space for 450 DC Government employees, a career center, a dual purpose auditorium and training space, a cafeteria, a large community meeting room, 7,000 SF of retail space and a two-level 100-space underground parking garage. The building also features a contemporary façade design.

This LEED™ Gold certified building incorporated a variety of sustainable features in its design and construction. These elements include daylight harvesting, low emitting lighting, sustainable materials and low-water restroom fixtures. The facility also includes a 24,000 SF green roof – the largest city-owned green roof in the District. Since this project consolidated the agency’s offices into a single site adjacent to the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station, the facility also encourages the use of public transportation.