(COLUMBUS, OHIO) – Hines, the international real estate firm, today announced that Taft, founded in 1885 and ranked as the 101st largest U.S. law firm by AmLaw, has signed a long-term lease for 50,000 square feet at Huntington Center, a 1 million-square-foot, 37-story office tower in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Taft will relocate to the building in late 2022 and will occupy space on three floors.
Hines General Property Manager Tyler Steele said, “On behalf of Hines and our ownership partners, we are thrilled to welcome Taft to their new home at Huntington Center. We view this decision by a firm of Taft’s stature as an acknowledgment that the significant investment made in the building has positioned it well for the needs of today’s office tenants.”
Developed by Hines in 1984, Huntington Center is a Class-A office tower located directly across from the Ohio State Capitol. The building underwent a $18 million renovation in 2019 that included a two-story indoor green wall in the lobby, which is the largest in the country; updated the common areas, modernized all elevators and escalators; and added a 6,000-sq.ft. conference center and tenant lounge on the 36th floor with an adjacent 4,000 SF rooftop terrace for the enjoyment of building tenants. Huntington Center tenants also have access to a 27,000-sq.ft. fitness center and several dining and amenity services on 3 levels within the building.
Taft made the decision to relocate its Columbus offices because of the overall building quality and strong amenities offered at Huntington Center, which the firm believes will promote collaboration among its employees and bolster recruiting efforts. Taft’s Partner-in-Charge of Columbus Janica Pierce Tucker added, “It was important to select a flagship building that reflects Taft’s modern law firm brand, provides top amenities for our clients and team members, and helps us attract top talent to achieve our growth and client service goals. We are thrilled to be moving into Huntington Center and starting a new chapter in Downtown Columbus.”
Collin Wheeler and Brandon Ellis with CBRE in Columbus represented ownership in the transaction. Jeff Carey with JLL represented Taft in lease negotiations.
About Hines
Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 255 cities in 27 countries. Hines oversees investment assets under management totaling approximately $83.6 billionÂą. In addition, Hines provides third-party property-level services to more than 367 properties totaling 138.3 million square feet. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped, or acquired approximately 1,486 properties, totaling over 492 million square feet. The firm currently has more than 171 developments underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a foundational commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information. ÂąIncludes both the global Hines organization as well as RIA AUM as of June 30, 2021.
About Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
With a proven track record since 1885, Taft’s nearly 650 attorneys serve the legal needs of businesses, organizations, municipalities, and individuals in virtually every area of law with a modern law firm approach. As an employer of choice in each of its markets, Taft’s non-headquarter leadership model encourages diverse points of view to reach better outcomes for its clients and provide rewarding careers for its team members. Taft offices are located in Chicago, Ill.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Delaware, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minn.; Denver, Col.; Covington, Ky., and Washington, DC.
