One Light tower offices
June 1, 2018 — Melody Simmons
The office spaces soon to be installed in the One Light tower now under construction downtown will be equally as chic as the exterior of the city's newest landmark.
So says a top executive of Madison Marquette, developer of the 28-story tower that will be the new home of M&T Bank's regional headquarters.
Part of the offices for M&T will be open and bright, utilizing the floor-to-ceiling windows of the building as a statement in the design and layout. Other parts will be designed with the bank and its functions in mind, with security and a more buttoned-down layout for meetings, conferences and financial-related needs.
"As compared to IT or high-end lobbying offices, they will be more conservative," said Ball, director of construction for Madison Marquette. "But overall, they are going with higher ceilings and we’re very cognizant with the LEED requirements, it’s a Silver-rated building."
The 155,000-square-foot office space on six floors at One Light will incorporate the all-glass facade and an open-space office floor plan.
In addition to M&T as the anchor, 82,000 square feet of remaining office space is being marketed by Cushman & Wakefield. The tower also has 10 floors that will hold 280 luxury apartments, 646 parking spaces in a garage and 5,000 square feet of retail space.
The infrastructure of One Light will utilize a air system that relies on circulation from outside air, Ball said. It's that kind of detail that office tenants are seeking these days.
"The natural light is one of the biggest things and most people are looking for a fairly efficient building," Ball said, adding that the ground-level lobby will have a "warm" feel to it with a palate of earth tones and also a wide-open space.
"There will be a stone wall land a stone floor there," he said. "In general, I think what you’re going to see is beyond the incorporation of high levels of technology, you're looking at light, airy spaces that are warm and comfortable.
"It's all about boosting the productivity of the workers to make them feel at home and at ease because what makes people comfortable in their work environment is very different from what it was 20 years ago. It has to do with natural light."
Overall, Ball said the advent of One Light in the central business district — and the redevelopment and renovations going on around it on Baltimore, Charles and Calvert streets, represents a new kind of design and function for the city's workforce.
"It says that Baltimore is now home to a modern glass tower befitting of modern city skylines," Ball said, of One Light. "That between 414 Light and 1 Light, the skyline of downtown Baltimore is changing."
