JEMB tops out 1 Willoughby Square; Class A building
designed by FXCollaborative and built by Gilbane Building

Brooklyn, NY JEMB Realty Corp., a real estate development, investment and management organization has topped out 1 Willoughby Sq. (1WSQ), a class A, 34-story office development.

To commemorate the milestone, JEMB hosted an honorary ribbon cutting ceremony. The developer was joined by some of the project’s key collaborators including architect FXCollaborative, builder Gilbane Building Company and exclusive leasing agent Newmark Knight Frank. 

The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, the not-for-profit local development corporation that serves as the primary champion for the business, culture, education, residential and retail growth of the destination, was also present at the ceremony.

“We are incredibly happy to achieve and celebrate this milestone for 1 Willoughby Sq.,” said Morris Bailey, co-founder of JEMB. “Downtown Brooklyn is one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city, and we’re excited to deliver an unparalleled, class A product to the community.”

1WSQ will bring 500,000 s/f of space to the borough’s office market, with floor plans featuring ceiling heights up to 14,500 ft. Designed by architecture, interiors and planning firm, FXCollaborative, who will also be the building’s anchor tenant, crafted the interior spaces to cater to all future tenants. Each floor plan has a fluid connection to the outside with oversized windows, showcasing ample amount of natural light and column-free floor plans which further supports space efficiency. Additionally, the exterior façade will feature dark blue glazed bricks adding another element to the skyline.

“1 Willoughby Sq. is specifically conceived for the Brooklyn ethos. It’s design promotes social interaction and natural connectivity throughout, from the amenity spaces and numerous exterior terraces, to it’s wide open, light-filled work environments. We are very proud of the results and couldn’t be more excited to move in next year,”  said Dan Kaplan, FAIA, LEED AP, senior partner of FXCollaborative.

The topping out of 1WSQ was scheduled in conjunction with the building’s website launch, which showcases renderings and information on transportation, entertainmen, dining and contacts for the leasing team, Newmark Knight Frank. The firm is exclusively handling the leasing and marketing for the project. The team includes president New York tri-state region David Falk, senior managing director Eric Cagner, managing director Whitten Morris, associate director Ryan Gessin and associate director Joseph Sipala. 

1WSQ’s current tenants include FXCollaborative, as the anchor and a school in partnership with the New York School Construction Authority. JEMB, along with NKF is in further discussion with national and international tenants to lease space at the development. The building is slated to be completed in Q4 2020.