The new 2,300,000-sf headquarters of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is under construction. Located on eight acres in Alexandria, the facility consists of five 10-story buildings in a U-shaped complex, with a total of 3,800 parking spaces in two garages. Designed by architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the headquarters features a pedestrian accessible 10-story atrium connecting the two wings of Building A, with all five buildings linked via underground walkways. Developed by LCOR as a build-to-suit project with general contractor Turner Construction, the project is ahead of schedule due to recent dry weather. In addition to state-of the art workplaces, the complex will house a Patent and Trademark museum, public search/library facility, fitness center, child care facility, cafeteria, and several satellite cafes. In 2003 over 7,000 PTO employees will be relocated to the facility from 18 buildings in Crystal City. The project is slated for completion by 2005.
