Connor Group with View Smart Glass

Connor Group Headquarters

Connor Group’s new Central Support Office wins architectural awards with the use of innovative design and technology. View Smart Windows allow architects to be even more innovative with intelligent windows that tint automatically to eliminate heat and glare and save energy. Inside, employees benefit from natural daylight to foster innovation and creativity.


  • Next-generation intelligent glass keeps occupants comfortable 24/7
  • Smart windows and skylights deliver natural light without heat or glare
  • No blinds and shades to block views
  • Location
    Dayton, OH
  • Architect
    Moody Nolan
  • General Contractor
    Messer Construction
  • Glazier
    Curtain Wall: Waltek & Co. Skylight: Linel

With more than $1.6 billion in assets, the Connor Group, headquartered in Dayton, OH, owns and operates more than 13,000 luxury apartments in 10 markets across the United States. When the company decided to build a new Central Support Office, it set high expectations.

“We told all the architects that we met with that this project would win awards and be something nobody’s ever done before,” said VP of Capital, Chris Mullins. “The ones that said ‘we’ll try,’ they didn’t make the cut.”

The 39,000-square-foot, two-story building boasts a two-story, 3,495 square foot atrium with a 2,740 square foot ceiling skylight. It features office and meeting spaces that incorporate the latest technology. Instead of traditional glass and shades, all exterior openings (5,741 square feet of windows and a 2,740-square-foot skylight) consist of View Smart Windows, which switch from clear to several tint levels based on the sun’s position in the sky. The next-generation windows keep occupants comfortable 24/7, and bring in natural light without excess heat or glare. The elimination of obtrusive blinds and shades also allows occupants to stay connected to the outdoors, increasing happiness, wellbeing, and productivity.

“We wanted it to be a place that makes people excited to come to work,” Larry Connor, Managing Partner, said. “Like everything else, we wanted it to be the best and we wanted it to be innovative. The building had to represent that.”

The Connor Group Central Support Office has been called an “iconic statement” and “a jewel for all of Ohio.” View Smart Windows contributed to the company’s forward-thinking goals with a smart window technology that matched the building’s avant-garde architecture. The building also realizes significant energy savings and the occupants experience superior comfort.

“We are firm in our belief that People Count. It’s one of our core values,” Connor said in the release. “The philosophy behind the building was to have an environment that’s exciting, innovative and creative. We wanted to build the best office facility for our associates; they make the difference in the organization.”

“We wanted to make a statement about Dayton,” Larry said. “We get tagged as a Rust Belt city but there is innovation and technology and forward thinking in this community. We hoped this building would represent our region as vibrant and innovative.”