Developer Martin Selig Real Estate describes 400 Westlake, its office tower redeveloped within the shell of the historic Firestone Building in Seattle's South Lake Union district, as "the greenest building of its size in the world."
The Seattle-based company focused on sustainability, technology and climate change mitigation in the 400 Westlake's design, which includes a 107,000-gallon water storage tank to capture all the rainwater that falls on the building in one of America's wettest cities.
The building that signed its first tenants last year is designed to use 35% less energy than a typical office building of its size, with photovoltaic fins that capture the sun's rays and produce 105% of the property's energy requirements.
The project's blending of modern, eco-friendly design with historic preservation in the heart of Seattle tech hub earned 400 Westlake a 2024 CoStar Impact Award, as judged by real estate professionals familiar with the market.
About the Project: Perkins + Will designed the 226,876-square-foot tower with ground-floor retail and 15 floors of office space within the old shell of the Firestone Building that opened in 1930. The tower has a landscaped roof terrace, exterior tenant decks, bike storage, lockers and showers.
What the Judges Said: "This is an innovative building with an attractive combination of new and old structures — and one of the first net-zero commercial buildings in Seattle, achieved through a combination of energy efficiency and generation features," wrote University of Washington Professor Steven Bourassa. Zane Shiras, principal with Lee & Associates, noted the project's scale and complexity and singled out the re-use of the old Firestone Building's facade for praise.
"There are significant challenges facing the office market, but this building represents the best environment for companies and was designed with neighborhood context in mind," added Colliers Research Manager Jacob Pavlik."
They Made it Happen: Martin Selig, president and founder of Martin Selig Real Estate, and company Executive Vice President Jordan Selig led the development team. Perkins + Will Principal Erik Mott and associate principals Devin Kleiner and Ed Palushock designed the project. Ashley Frederick of Lease Crutcher Lewis headed construction and Alissa Feucht of Glumac was the sustainability strategist.
CoStar Senior Research Manager Alexander Fairlie contributed.