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First look at law firm’s trophy new HQ at The Wharf

When D.C. law firm Williams & Connolly LLP moves into its new headquarters at The Wharf in 2022, it will be anchoring a pair of stunning buildings on Maine Avenue Southwest.

Developer Hoffman-Madison Waterfront has released renderings of its trophy office buildings at 670 and 680 Maine Ave. Southwest.

The buildings are designed by SHoP Architects and WDG Architects, and will be connected by “The Oculus,” formed by a glass bridge between the towers’ second levels, creating a porte-cochere entrance for the two buildings.

The buildings also include penthouse spaces with Capitol and waterfront views, and private terraces on some floors, as well as 30,000 square feet of retail space planned for waterfront restaurants.

Williams & Connolly signed a 15-year lease for 300,000 square feet in the two buildings — relocating from its Metro Center location, where it has been since 1992 — when the buildings are complete. That leaves about 200,000 square feet still available.

The buildings will join another unusual one underway: a 12-story, curved glass-walled condo building called Amaris, designed by Rafael Viñoly.

Hoffman-Madison-Waterfront, the joint venture of Hoffman & Associates and Madison Marquette, which are codeveloping The Wharf, began work on Phase Two earlier this year.

Phase One of The Wharf, with 2 million square feet of development, opened in 2017. Phase Two will add another 1 million square feet.

Opening arguments set to begin in Meta’s federal trial over child harms

Oakland, Calif. (AP) — Opening arguments are set to kick off Tuesday in a pivotal trial for Meta Platforms in a California federal court. Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking extensive financial damages plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram. Twenty-nine states sued the tech giant in 2023 over child safety and privacy — the other 25 will go to trial later. The company also faces lawsuits in state courts. The lawsuit accuses the social media giant of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that get children addicted to its platforms. It also argues that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. “This week, we’re in court with the largest consumer protection lawsuit in American history. We’ll show a jury that Meta concealed what it knew about the harm its products cause young people because looking away was more profitable,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman in a statement.
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