Colette at The Stacks Wins 2026 SARA National Design Award

Handel Architects' 13-Story Building in Washington, D.C.'s Buzzard Point Neighborhood Honored for Architectural Excellence

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 21, 2026) - Colette at The Stacks, a 13-story residential building in Washington, D.C.'s Buzzard Point neighborhood, has won a 2026 National Design Award from the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA).

Designed by Handel Architects and developed by Akridge and National Real Estate Development, Colette is one of three architecturally distinct residential buildings within The Stacks, alongside Everly and The Byron. Completed in 2025, the 319-residence building combines traditional apartments with the D.C. metropolitan area's largest fully furnished coliving community.

Colette's thoughtful design centers on the relationship between private residences, shared spaces and the public realm. Traditional apartments range from studios to two-story maisonettes that open directly onto The Stacks' pedestrian-only cobblestone promenade, creating a seamless connection between residential living and the surrounding neighborhood. Inside, bohemian-inspired interiors pair bold patterns with premium finishes and sweeping city views. Shared amenities include one of D.C.'s highest rooftop pools, a penthouse-level fitness center with an outdoor terrace, coworking and social lounges, and terraces overlooking the city and waterfront.

At The Stacks, distinctive residential architecture and pedestrian-friendly public spaces have transformed a nearly seven-acre former industrial site into a new waterfront neighborhood. Alongside its three residential buildings, The Stacks features neighborhood-serving retail, coworking spaces and landscaped gathering areas. Anchored by the Corso, a central car-free promenade, the development brings together housing, retail and public space to support the continued evolution of D.C.'s Southwest Waterfront.

The Stacks is jointly owned by Akridge, Bridge Investment Group and Blue Coast Capital, with institutional funds managed by National Real Estate Advisors.

For more information on Colette, visit www.livecolettedc.com. To learn more about The Stacks, visit www.thestacks.com.

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Media Contact:

Rhea Srivastava

[email protected] | 513.439.9095

ABOUT THE STACKS

The Stacks is a nearly 7-acre transformative waterfront neighborhood project in Buzzard Point, designed to enhance the vibrant community along the Southwest Waterfront. Inspired by some of the District's most iconic neighborhoods, The Stacks' first phase features 1 million square feet of mixed-use space, including apartments, retail, coworking space and 22,000 square feet of open space for community use. This lively, walkable destination fosters a sense of community with abundant outdoor spaces that support public events, outdoor eateries, and serene areas for relaxation. By seamlessly blending nature with urban living, The Stacks creates a cohesive link for residents and visitors, enriching the overall experience of Washington, D.C.'s waterfront. To learn more about The Stacks, please visit www.thestacks.com.

ABOUT AKRIDGE

Akridge serves every aspect of the real estate business through high-quality investment, development, and operations. Guided by a leadership team with decades of industry experience, Akridge real estate professionals apply an owner's perspective in order to build long-term value and success. They provide design and construction management, development, finance and asset management, investment, leasing, and property management services. With offices in Washington, D.C. and Charlotte, NC, Akridge continues to anticipate the needs of the industry and its clients by delivering exceptional real estate experiences. For more information on Akridge, please visit www.akridge.com.

ABOUT NATIONAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

National Real Estate Development, LLC ("National Development") is the independently operated development subsidiary of National Real Estate Advisors, LLC. As a full-service firm, National Development has the expertise to manage and execute development projects and provides the technical expertise on construction and development matters that National needs to meet its fiduciary responsibilities to clients. From market research to delivering the final project, the National Development team deploys a diverse skill set and extensive expertise, which ensures the highest standards in meeting client objectives. The team develops across all major real estate asset classes, including mixed-use, apartments, traditional and medical office, hotels, and retail. Since its inception in 2013, National Development's direct development projects that are completed or under construction have totaled nearly 6.3 million square feet in major markets such as Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and San Francisco. To learn more, visit www.natrealestatedevelopment.com.

ABOUT NATIONAL REAL ESTATE ADVISORS
National Real Estate Advisors, LLC ("National") is an investment manager developing, operating, and managing commercial real estate projects across the United States. Since 2000, National's investment team has been constructing investment portfolios of diverse property assets - primarily multifamily, data centers, office, healthcare, and medical buildings. National manages separate accounts and multiple commingled investment vehicles. National seeks to create value for investors by adhering to a rigorous investment process and development principles guided by profits, integrity, community, and collaboration. National is an independently operated subsidiary of the National Electrical Benefit Fund ("NEBF"), a pension trust with assets that are managed by National on a discretionary basis. For more information, please visit www.natadvisors.com.

ABOUT BLUE COAST CAPITAL

Blue Coast Capital, headquartered in London, England, with offices in Europe and the United States, owns, operates, and manages a diverse portfolio of real estate, private equity, hotels & leisure, and consumer-driven businesses. Working directly and with partners, it maintains a diverse spread of assets that allow it to balance opportunities and exposures in geography, property type and risk across two separate portfolios - income and opportunistic. With a track record spanning 50 years, including 35 years in the United States, the company remains a privately owned business with the financial strength to make decisions based on unique opportunities as well as long-term trends. For more information, please visit www.bccapusa.com and www.bccap.com.

ABOUT BRIDGE INVESTMENT GROUP

Bridge Investment Group is a leading, vertically integrated real estate investment manager, diversified across specialized asset classes, with approximately $38.8 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2021. Bridge Investment Group combines its nationwide operating platform with dedicated teams of investment professionals focused on select U.S. real estate verticals: residential rental, office, development, logistics properties, net lease and real estate-backed credit.

ABOUT HANDEL ARCHITECTS

Handel Architects was founded in 1994 with a commitment to making cities better places to live. We believe that architecture and design matter, and that through our work, we can make a positive difference in the world. We strive to create buildings that are not just things in themselves, but serve as catalysts for positive urban and social change. With over 120 architects and designers in New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Hong Kong, our work encompasses projects like the National September 11 Memorial, urban infrastructure and master planning projects, high-density mixed-use developments, multi-family projects across all income bands, hotels, corporate headquarters, and buildings for non-profit, institutional and educational clients around the world.