Brooklyn’s Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower complex gets renderings for its future as Panorama

The development team that purchased Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower building complex in Brooklyn Heights last year has now unveiled plans for its transformation into a swanky office and retail destination.

Panaroma, as this new space will be known, will be spread out over the five buildings here that were previously occupied by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This includes three brick and timber buildings that were built in the late 19th century, and the two main buildings built in the 1920s.

This revamped campus will offer 635,000 square feet of interconnected office space, with most of it featuring 11-foot-tall ceilings. The public will have access to 35,000 square feet of retail and outdoor areas including terraces (and space for arts and culture).

“Panorama will be more than just a place to work – it will be a thriving community offering the best visibility and views in New York City, world-class office space, and an opportunity for tenants to infuse the campus with their culture from the very start,” Asher Abehsera of Columbia Heights Associates, the development team behind this project, said in a statement. “Panorama will mark a shift in what America’s best companies expect in an urban office setting.”

Work is currently underway on renovating the five-building campus. While there will be several new aspects including lobby areas, elevators, and mechanicals, some of the old features of these iconic buildings at 25-30 Columbia Heights will also be maintained including the connective sky bridge, and the double-height assembly spaces.

The development team, Columbia Heights Associates, is a joint venture between CIM Group, LIVWRK Holdings and Kushner Companies. Kushner Companies is also developing another massive former Jehovah’s Witnesses site at 85 Jay Street.

• Jehovah's Witnesses' Watchtower building in Brooklyn sells for $340M [Curbed]
• Kushner expands Dumbo empire with latest Jehovah’s Witness property buy [Curbed]