The Meridian Group has been honored for its efforts to promote peace of mind and ensure a healthy environment for tenants, as well as its work to support vulnerable Afghan refugees.
Each year, the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) honors property managers for their initiatives and solutions across the fund’s real estate portfolio. This year, HOOPP honored The Meridian Group with its Community Impact Award and Sustainability Fund Award.
“HOOPP’s real estate management partners continue to surpass our expectations,” said Eric Plesman, Head of Global Real Estate for HOOPP. “Year after year, they continue to help us deliver on the goal of responsible stewardship, which is a key component of both our real estate strategy and HOOPP’s overall sustainable investing approach.”
The Meridian Group received the Sustainable Fund Award for its innovative efforts at Anthem Row, a trophy office development in Washington’s East End. The award honored Meridian for “the creation of numerous policies to promote peace of mind for tenants and ensure a healthy environment during the pandemic, including the creation of a Contagious Disease Outbreak Prevention Preparedness Plan to safeguard against future pandemics.”
The Meridian Group purchased the Anthem Row buildings in 2014, then launched an extensive renovation to completely transform the property. Anthem Row now functions as two trophy office buildings with separate identities, main lobbies and addresses – 700 K Street and 800 K Street.
The Meridian Group received the Community Impact Award for its charitable efforts at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda. The firm was honored for “participating in an initiative called Operation Allies Welcome, a coordinated effort by the United States Federal Government to support and resettle vulnerable Afghan refugees.”
“We are grateful to HOOPP for honoring our commitment to the health and safety of our tenants,” said KC Mahan, Vice President, Accounting and ESG Chair for The Meridian Group. “All of us are working hard to ensure the well-being of every one of our buildings’ tenants and visitors.”
The awards are just the latest distinctions earned by The Meridian Group for its innovative efforts. Among the firm’s other accomplishments:
- The Meridian Group earned an unprecedented rating of 99.12% on the Fitwel Viral Response module certification for its buildings. The Certified with Distinction certification, presented by the Center for Active Design (CfAD), demonstrates that Meridian is at the forefront of enhanced indoor environments, top-notch hygiene standards and preparedness plans.
- The Meridian Group partnered with Openpath to become the first real estate portfolio in Washington, DC to deploy Openpath’s touchless access control technology in its buildings, offering a much-improved alternative to the office keycard. Now an employee’s smartphone is their passport to their building. Everything is touchless, secure and simple: An employee only needs to wave their hand to unlock entrances, elevators and their office.
- 1901 L Street, owned by The Meridian Group and the Rockefeller Group, became the first-ever office building in Washington to earn a WELL Building Core and Shell certification. The trophy office building earned the certification by meeting a number of design and operational requirements, as well as meeting quality standards for air, water, nourishment, fitness and comfort.
ABOUT THE MERIDIAN GROUP
The Meridian Group is a real estate investment and development firm based in Bethesda, Md. Since its inception in 1993, the firm has acquired and developed more than 14 million square feet of office, residential, hotel, mixed-use, and land with a focus on the metropolitan Washington, DC market. To learn more, visit The Meridian Group’s website at www.tmgdc.com.
ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE OF ONTARIO PENSION PLAN
HOOPP serves Ontario’s hospital and community-based healthcare sector, with more than 620 participating employers and 420,000 active, deferred and retired members. HOOPP is fully funded and manages a highly diversified portfolio of more than $114 billion in assets. HOOPP’s real estate portfolio has a market value of more than $20 billion, spanning multiple geographies and asset classes (office, logistics, retail, residential). The Fund continues to grow both the scale and scope of this portfolio, with a focus on high-quality assets and best-in-class partners that share our sustainable investing approach and creation of long-term value for our members. Learn more at www.hoopp.com/en.
