It is one of the largest leases in the DC market this year, Stephen R. Leeds, GSA Senior Sustainability Officer, noted in a prepared statement. Design work for the temporary headquarters will begin later this month with the actual move expected in Spring 2011. GSA did not return a call to GlobeSt.com in time for publication.

The federal government needed no introduction to the building; the Department of Justice will be the anchor in phase one--or Two Constitution Sq.--of the huge 1.6-million-squarefoot mixed-use project underway in NoMa. Also included in phase one is 79,200 square feet of retail space, anchored by a 50,000-square-foot Harris Teeter grocery store and accompanied by recently inked 20,000 square feet of restaurants and other stores for DOJ workers; 440 apartments; a 204-room Hilton Garden Inn; and a second office building with 340,000 square feet.

One of the reasons DOJ reportedly picked Constitution Square was because it was aiming for Gold LEED certification, despite the requirement that building housing federal workers need only be Silver LEED. In fact, GSA is moving its employees to Constitution Square in order to accommodate a green makeover at its headquarters.

The renovated facility will be designed to achieve LEED Gold certification. Enhancements include new building systems, water conservation and nearly 800 photovoltaic panels to generate on-site renewable energy. GSA was appropriated more than $5.5 billion under the Recovery Act to convert federal buildings into green buildings.