The Sanctuary

Project Details

Project Description

An iconic 1897 Gothic Revival Church in the Capitol Hill Historic District presented an opportunity that set new standards for the adaptive use of historic churches throughout Washington, DC and across the nation. Over the course of 18 months, the project team adaptively transformed the historically significant church into 30 unique condominiums with creative use of space while preserving as many significant architectural features as possible. The project encompasses the church, annex, and 2 adjacent townhouses totaling nearly 35,000 square feet. Historic elements including the previously inaccessible bell tower, stained glass windows, and original wood staircase among others were preserved and restored without compromising the building's integrity. The existing stained and leaded glass windows were mix of ages and styles with floral and religious motifs, each now carefully reassembled by hand, using original glass, historically accurate reproduction glass, and imported vision glass selectively added to suit the building's new use. The purpose-built building presented numerous challenges in its conversion to residences from irregular spaces to deep window lines and multistory windows. The church interior was entirely gutted, leaving only the 1st and 2nd floor framing in the sanctuary, concrete floors in the annex, the restored existing stairwell, and vaulted ceilings on the top floor. The new 3rd floor and mezzanine levels utilize the open vertical spaces of the existing church, and stairways within units provide access to once-lost panoramic views from the rooftop and bell tower.