December 2007

DC Preservation League Annual Fundraiser

Preservation Now: Building on the Historic

Please plan to join the Board of Trustees and Staff of the DC Preservation League at its annual fundraising event at the recently reopened St. Regis Hotel, 923 16th Street, NW at 6:30 PM.

The St. Regis Hotel, designed by local architect Mihran Mesrobian in 1926, is a fitting venue for the DC Preservation League's 2008 fundraising reception. The reception will celebrate the re-opening of this prestigious hotel and downtown landmark which first opened its doors in October 1926 as the Carlton Hotel. Mirroring the ambitions of the St. Regis founder, John Jacob Astor IV, local real estate developer Harry Wardman sought to provide Washington with a sophisticated establishment that would surpass the very best European luxury hotels of the day.

During the late 1930s, the Carlton became the residence of Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who transacted much of the government's business at the hotel. Ever since, the hotel has been popular with members of Washington's political elite including presidents and their families. Successive administrations have turned to the hotel to host high level diplomatic meetings and important political events including several inaugural banquets.
The hotel has continually been a hub of the capital's social scene, hosting countless luminaries who have also been loyal guests.

In 1991, the Carlton Hotel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a DC Landmark.

In 1999, after 73 years as the Carlton Hotel, the property assumed a new mantle as The St. Regis, Washington, DC, and became the first hotel to share the legendary St. Regis name with the New York flagship.

In December 2007, the St. Regis Washington, DC re-opened following a 16-month renovation to become, once again, the capital's most luxurious hotel. The renovation provided a complete makeover of guest rooms, meeting rooms and the St. Regis Athletic Club, as well as the historic lobby, the Astor Ballroom and the Astor Terrace.

Thursday, February 7, 2008
6:30 - 9:00 PM
Tickets: $150/person

Click here to purchase your tickets today!!

Invitations will be mailed in early January!

Preservation News

Funding for Homeland Security Headquarters Cut

On December 18th, Congress removed hundreds of millions of dollars requested by President Bush to build a massive headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security on the historic West Campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital in Southeast. The development of nearly 6.4 million square feet would have destroyed the very character defining features that qualify it as a National Historic Landmark.

DCPL, in coalition with other preservation groups has been working to minimize the impact of the DHS headquarters on this truly exceptional site. In September, the coalition presented a report to the General Services Administration outlining the preservation priorities of the site.

Click here to see the coalition report.