Foggy Bottom Luxury: Historical Building Conversions in D.C.
The Wray used to contain office space used by the State Department. Now, well-heeled renters can look out and see the Washington Monument from richly appointed, eco-friendly units that go for $2,500 to $4,500 per month. D.C. is first in the nation when it comes to office-to-residential conversions, and nearby towns like Alexandria aren’t far behind. These high-end apartments don’t do anything to address housing inequality, though. Developers in D.C. are taking advantage of repurposing historic buildings for housing, but ignore both the history of these buildings and the need for accessible housing with the creation of so many sleek new upscale apartments.
These conversions ostensibly aim to help address the need for new homes, but during a housing crisis that impacts everyone, why are so many new developments luxury developments? Daniel Herriges suggests that construction costs, chaotic supply and demand, zoning and regulations, and cities that make it difficult to build “missing middle” housing are the reason. While Herriges is talking about completely new development, all these factors apply to repurposing historic buildings for housing. It’s a complex, difficult process, and developers are eager to recoup costs.
Even more worrying, other cities like NYC are looking to follow D.C.’s lead in converting office buildings into residential buildings. Spurred on by pandemic shifts, they appear on track to create more housing only attainable by the wealthy.
In Washington, D.C. old buildings are being converted at an astonishing rate, but the need for affordable housing remains high. How can the nation’s capital, and other cities from coast to coast, effectively use the resource of old buildings to create equitable housing opportunities?