It was in June 2018 that Marriott announced it had broken ground on its new headquarters in Bethesda, Md. I received word yesterday that Marriott will hold a grand opening celebration of its headquarters on Monday, September 19. The 21-story, 785,000 square-foot LEEDv4 Gold-certified facility is home to corporate associates supporting over 8,100 hotels in 139 countries and territories.
According to Marriott, its new headquarters includes several unique elements:
- Associate cafeteria, named The Hot Shoppe in a nod to the company’s first restaurant, with 9,500 square feet for dining, including 350 indoor seats and 100 outdoor seats.
- Grand floating staircase with mixed seating allowing for large-scale gatherings.
- 20-foot-tall moving work of digital art in an ultra-high-resolution video wall that wraps around the elevator bay. The digital art wall is visible from the outside and provides immersive experiences with places and environments from around the world.
- 7,600 square feet of outdoor garden space accessible by associates on the 20th floor; additionally, the building has a green, planted roof.
- 2,842 workspaces, including offices, workstations, and flexible spaces.
- 180 conference rooms
- Daylight in majority of occupied spaces.
- Nearly 20,000 square feet of open, flexible, modular, and virtually collaborative workspace for individuals or group meetings.
- Proximity to the Bethesda Metro Station, Capital Crescent Bike Trail, and multiple bus routes.
- Five levels of parking under the building, including 66 EV charging stations.
- Lockable bicycle parking inside garage for 100 bikes; dedicated locker rooms adjacent to bike storage for cycling commuters.
- Certified LEED Gold Core and Shell, LEED Gold Commercial and Interiors (pending), and Fitwel three-star certification.
Marriott has been a leader of course for many years in its commitment to green building and operations. Its sustainability and social impact platform is called Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction.
During the groundbreaking for the new headquarters, former Marriott International President and CEO, Arne Sorenson was present. He will be missed for sure at the grand opening. Sorenson passed from cancer in early 2021.
