Johns Manville Signs New Lease to Keep World Headquarters in Denver

DENVER—Wednesday, May 8, 2024—Johns Manville (JM), a leading manufacturer of premium-quality building and specialty products and a Berkshire Hathaway company, announced today its world headquarters will stay in downtown Denver through at least 2035. The company renewed a lease with Brookfield Properties for over 121,000 square feet of space on five floors in the high-rise building at 717 17th St.

“Downtown Denver is centrally located for our employees who live throughout the metro area,” JM President and CEO Bob Wamboldt said. “The Mile High City also is a great place to recruit top talent to keep our company on a successful path forward.”

JM moved to Denver in July 1988. Over 300 employees work at the world headquarters building, supporting corporate functions such as finance, information technology, supply chain, human resources and legal.

“We are thrilled that Johns Manville and its employees have made a strategic and intentional decision to remain in the heart of our downtown corridor,” said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. “In addition to retaining their global headquarters, 300 jobs, and other economic benefits for our community, Johns Manville's re-commitment and investment in a downtown Denver location represents an opportunity to support growth and stabilization in our city center.”

The Mayor’s Office and the Downtown Denver Partnership both offered support in recent months as JM pursued information related to safety, construction, traffic and parking.

“Johns Manville has long been a key fixture in downtown Denver and our business community, and JM’s decision to maintain its world headquarters here is symbolic,” said Kourtny Garrett, President & CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. “This type of commitment has never been more important to downtown, and we continue to be grateful to Johns Manville for being a steadfast partner in the success of our center city.”

JM will remain an important tenant in the building, a 29-story Class A office tower built in 1978 and known as Johns Manville Plaza. Brookfield Properties, which operates the building, recently completed a comprehensive modernization program, including a full remodeling of the lobbies and elevator cabs and the introduction of a curated art program featuring works by local Denver artists. The building features a tenant lounge, fitness center with shower facilities, and a fully tech-enabled conference center. JM will begin to refresh its office space later this year. Terms of the new lease were not released.

“We are delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with Johns Manville at 717 17th Street,” said David Sternberg, Executive Vice President and Western Region Head for Brookfield Properties’ office business. “Brookfield takes pride in our steadfast commitment to provide tenants like Johns Manville with a premier workplace experience marked by hospitality-driven service, modern amenities and world-class operations. Their decision to remain rooted here reaffirms the success of our efforts and reinforces our shared commitment to shaping a bright future for the city of Denver.”

JLL’s Barry Dorfman, Patrick Bolick, Tim Bourdelais and Janessa Biller represented the tenant, while JLL’s Michael Crane, Andy Ross and Julie Rhoades represented the landlord.

“This building has served as JM’s home for nearly four decades, and this renewal decision underscores their commitment to downtown Denver,” said Dorfman, International Director with JLL’s Rocky Mountain Region. “We’re honored to represent such an important Denver tenant and provide a real estate solution that meets the needs of the company, its employees, and its customers.”

About Johns Manville

Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales over $4 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. JM employs 8,000 people and operates 44 manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.

About Brookfield Properties

Brookfield Properties is a leading global developer and operator of high-quality real estate assets. We are active in nearly all real estate sectors, including office, retail, multifamily, hospitality, and logistics, operating more than 900 properties and over 340 million square feet of real estate in gateway markets on behalf of Brookfield Asset Management, one of the largest asset managers in the world. With a focus on sustainability, a commitment to excellence, and the drive for relentless innovation in the planning, development, and management of buildings and their surroundings, Brookfield Properties is reimagining real estate from the ground up. For more information, visit www.brookfieldproperties.com.

About JLL

For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500® company with annual revenue of $20.8 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 106,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAYSM. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.