What's the Deal With the Intelsat Building in DC? The massive empty space has a cool history. Over the past 40 years, the space-age Intelsat building has been an object of local fascination, housing a satellite company, a television station, an embassy, and a school, among other things. Now the massive Connecticut Avenue landmark's next phase is uncertain. Here's a look at its unusual history. * 1964 Eleven countries sign a treaty to form a consortium now known as the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, or Intelsat. It will grow to include more than 100 member countries and become the world's largest commercial satellite-services provider, owning and operating more than 50 satellites. * 1980 Intelsat announces the firm of Australian architect John Andrews as the winner of a juried competition to design an energy-efficient headquarters with significant views and natural light. * 1984 The organization moves into the partially completed Intelsat headquarters, located on land owned by the State Department near the Van Ness Metro. The wow-inducing 660,000-square-foot structure is composed of 13 octagonal office pods covered in glass and aluminum, connected by six atria. * 1988 Local television station WJLA moves into 73,000 square feet of the building, remaining there for 14 years. * 2001 Intelsat privatizes and becomes the largest tech company in the DC area, with 900 employees. * 2012 Intelsat sells its building to the 601W Companies, a real-estate firm, then relocates to McLean two years later. The 601W Companies prepares the space for commercial leasing while the underlying 12-acre site remains owned by the State Department. Notable later tenants include the Embassy of Cameroon and the Broadcasters' Child Development Center. * 2019 Whittle School & Studios, a controversial for-profit private school, opens in the Intelsat building, with interior renovations overseen by starchitect Renzo Piano. The much-hyped concept doesn't fly, and the school closes in 2022. * 2019 The building is designated a historic landmark in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites because of its unique architecture and pioneering, energy-efficient design. But finding tenants for such a quirky space proves difficult, and it mostly sits empty for years. * 2026 A foreclosure auction had been set for the building in April-but was canceled at the last minute. What will come next? That's unclear: Finding a viable use for the building remains a challenge. Join the conversation! Editorial Fellow Dara T. Mathis is a journalist and nonfiction writer who joined Washingtonian in Fall 2025 as an Editorial Fellow. A 2024 recipient of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize, she resides in Prince George's County, Maryland. Longreads. Perfect for your commute You May Like Let ADT set up security while you settle inMaking your new house a home can be hectic. Let Washingtonian Media Inc. give you a hand. Its pros can install a system with tech designed to help keep you safe.ADT

SES, the Luxembourg-based satellite operator, has announced its full-year 2025 results following the consolidation of Intelsat from 17 July 2025. The company reported revenue and adjusted EBITDA within its financial outlook, with capital expenditures of €559 million, lower than guidance. The Networks division achieved its fourth consecutive year of growth, driven by Aviation and Government sectors. SES signed €1.8 billion in new business and contract renewals during 2025, with total combined gross backlog exceeding €6.6 billion. The company reported adjusted free cash flow of €229 million and combined like-for-like net leverage of 3.9 times. For 2026, SES expects both revenue and adjusted EBITDA to remain stable year-on-year on a like-for-like and constant currency basis. The company maintains its commitment to investment-grade metrics and a net leverage target of 3.0 times or below.