The building, which will cost an estimated $40 million to construct, will feature a raised floor system, one of only a handful in the Puget Sound region.

The raised floor rests on steel supports about 13 inches above the thicker main floor, providing space for the building's heating and cool system, as well as for electrical wiring including computer and telecommunications cables rather than having the wiring and heating/cool ducts hidden in the walls and ceilings.

The system provides greater flexibility for tenants, who can easily reconfigure wiring when needed, says Lisa Picard, a Hines project manager based here. It also allows for temperature to be controlled at individual workstations. The floor will cost Hines about $4 a sf to construct.