Once home to the Libyan Embassy, a stately Flemish Revival-style town home had certainly seen better days. The 1908 residence, located in DC’s posh Embassy Row neighborhood, had sat vacant for 25 years; it had reached a state of structural collapse when new owners contacted Glass Construction with a mandate to transform it into a family home. The whole-house renovation included the painstaking restoration of the front façade, which went from drab and nondescript to vibrant and fresh—with its history intact.
The house was taking in storm water, and the roof, framing and masonry had deteriorated. Glass Construction’s herculean job entailed rebuilding the foundation, gables, dormers, front arches and much of the masonry. The roof frame was reconstructed and slate on the mansard and dormer roofs was replaced. New copper roofing was added, along with a basement-level garage.
The brick façade—formerly painted two dingy shades of cream—was stripped and repointed, creating a seamless look softened by attractive plantings.
Award: Grand, Residential Historical Renovation/Restoration $250,000 and over. Renovation Design & Construction: Glass Construction, Inc., Washington, DC.