Opened in February 2024, St. John’s Terminal serves as the New York headquarters for Google’s global business organization. The building adaptively reimagines a former rail terminal into a 12-story modern office building supporting more than 3,000 Googlers. St. John’s Terminal advances ambitious sustainability goals, with approximately 78,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions projected to be saved, compared with creating a new structural foundation; achievement of LEED v4 Platinum Certification for its core and shell development; and LEED v4 Platinum Certification being pursued for interiors.

The building has 1.5 acres of predominantly native vegetation at street level, in rail bed gardens, and on terraces, redefining what “green space” means for commercial real estate in New York. This not only enhances the experience for occupants but also benefits the local ecology. Over 95% of the exterior plants at St. John’s Terminal are native to New York State, reknitting the building into the local system. Working with NYC Audubon, over 40 bird species have been observed using the habitat created at St. John’s Terminal — including birds fueling up for a trans-Atlantic migratory flight.

Project Architect Rick Fox describes St. John’s Terminal as “re-knitting an ecosystem, from the insects to the birds.” The project has been called “a beacon of eco-friendly, team-centric innovation shaping the urban landscape."

Second Nature is proud to have advised the ecological design of St John's Terminal, in collaboration with the San Francisco Estuary Institute and Eric Sanderson of the New York Botanical Garden. The project was recognized with a 2024 ASLA Honor Award.