Office-to-Residential Conversion Approved by U.S. Commission of Fine Arts

October 02, 2024
The residential conversion of the former Portals I office building at 1250 Maryland Avenue SW has been granted approval by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts—the body established by Congress to oversee the architectural development of the District of Columbia—paving the way for the project to move forward.

Developed by Lowe and Henderson Park, this project will help to transform the Portals development in Southwest DC into a more dynamic mixed-use neighborhood by replacing underutilized office space with approximately 430 residential apartments and 53,000 square feet of retail space. BBB’s design concept reclads the existing eight-story building to have a more contemporary architectural expression and adds three additional stories of residential apartments and amenity spaces, including an outdoor pool and terrace, at the roof with sweeping views of the Potomac River and DC skyline.

The CFA praised the design, saying it “transforms the building with care and finesse while respecting the underlying form of the existing building and its urban role within the Portals complex.

BBB is working with landscape architect Oehme, van Sweden | OvS and general contractor Balfour Beatty to deliver the project. Construction will begin in 2025.

Existing

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Proposed