WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Mason & Rook hotel in Washington, D.C. announced that it has been awarded LEED Silver. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes, and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
The Mason & Rook project was more than just a renovation; it was a complete rebranding of the original property. The project consisted of construction of a new, one-story addition adjacent to the ground floor, over the existing basement level parking garage, to create a new ballroom. In an effort to expand the lobby to allow for a better guest experience upon arrival, the former drive lane/porte-cochère was removed, and the first floor was extended. The expansion of this space required the addition of a new steel canopy as well as a complete re-grading of the existing point of arrival for guest vehicles and pedestrian foot traffic. In addition to the first-floor expansion and addition, all nine stories of guestrooms were demolished; only the perimeter walls and floor/ceiling decks remained. The guestroom renovation included MEP riser relocations and footprint modifications. A new bar and amenities were only part of the renovation that took place on the previously abandoned rooftop. The renovation of the space also included a new pool, adding a bar enclosure, installation of a full-glass railing system to meet DCRA zoning requirements, and cladding the existing industrial finishes on the penthouse and roof with IPE. The main level benefited from an expanded lobby, a new restaurant and bar area, and a steel trellis for the new restaurant patio that was installed.
“The renovation of the Mason & Rook Hotel completes an extensive and dramatic reposition of the Helix Hotel,” explains David Burman, president of First Finish, Inc. “Being one of our most complex renovations to date coupled with being our first LEED Silver project makes me extremely proud of all team members involved.”
LEED is the foremost program for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. More than 82,000 commercial and institutional projects are currently participating in LEED, comprising more than 15.7 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and more than 162 countries and territories. For more information on USGBC’s LEED program, visit their website at www.usgbc.org.
