Yesterday we had the great pleasure of participating in the groundbreaking for the redevelopment of The Grimke School in Washington, DC. Working with Community Three and the DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Torti Gallas is designing the transformation of this historic building and the addition of 70 mixed-income residential units in Washington’s Shaw Neighborhood.

For Torti Gallas + Partners, this groundbreaking was the culmination of 10 years of involvement with The Grimke School Redevelopment, and 20 years working toward Transforming the U Street Corridor.

In addition to this important design commission, we are also very happy to announce that, beginning in October 2020, Torti Gallas + Partners will be able to call The Grimke School our home! Torti Gallas will be relocating a large portion of our operation, currently located in Maryland, to the District of Columbia, bringing jobs and revenue to the District, as well as adding to the daytime uses of this area.  

As Architects of a Better World, this new home in The Grimke School and in the U Street Corridor aligns with our firm’s beliefs - it is walkable, mixed-use, and transit-oriented with an important cultural amenity - The African American Civil War Museum. When we began our design of The Ellington at 13th and U Streets in 1999, we never imagined we would someday become its neighbor!

We see the potential in this beautiful old building, and believe that the restoration and repurposing of this historic structure into a highly sustainable building will attract talented and creative professionals, benefitting the local small business community and the residents of the Shaw neighborhood.

Additionally, by moving to The Grimke School, across the street from a Metro Station, Torti Gallas will be reducing our carbon footprint, as over 40% of our employees will no longer have to commute from their District residences out to our office in Maryland.

We are truly excited about the opportunity to move into the District of Columbia, and believe that this move reflects our firm’s commitment to revitalizing and transforming cities. We look forward to incorporating this next chapter of Torti Gallas + Partners into the next chapter of the historic Grimke School.