PROJECT DETAILS
Location: Washington, D.C.
Developer: Mill Creek Residential
Architect: DCS Design
Builder: Mill Creek Mid-Atlantic Construction
Interior Designer: DCS Interiors
Opened: December 2018
Number of Units: 134
Unit Mix: Studios; one-, two-, and three-bedrooms
Rents: $1,977 to $8,444
A new apartment community on the grounds of Washington, D.C.’s former Italian Embassy touts modern living while preserving the site’s history and character. The original embassy building was commissioned during the Mussolini era and designed by Whitney Warren and Charles D. Wetmore to house Italy’s embassy functions from 1925 to 1977. Until 2002, it continued to serve as the chancery. However, in the years after, the building was largely abandoned, and considerable damage resulted from neglect and vandalism.
A joint venture development between Mill Creek Residential and Rockwood Capital has brought the site back to its former glory, creating 22 individually customized floor plans in the redeveloped embassy building and 112 homes in a newly constructed nine-story high-rise.
Featuring neo-Renaissance architecture, Modera Sedici reflects the original design of the 1925 embassy and offers modern Italian features and amenities where possible, evoking a European cosmopolitan setting.
David Madison
Each element of the community communicates the story and history of the site, with rooms keeping their Italian names from the original building permit drawings. The development team preserved significant spaces such as the original grand staircase, lobby, ballroom, and library, weaving them into the modern design with Italian touches. Decaying elements and materials throughout the embassy building, such as original travertine and parquet floors, intricate millwork, windows, doors, and the clay tile roofing, were restored to their original luster. New materials were carefully selected to pay homage to the history, including Italian-manufactured cabinetry in all of the units and state-of-the-art Italian equipment in the fitness studio.
According to Mill Creek Residential, Modera Sedici caters to two current trends in the Washington, D.C., apartment market: larger luxury units for downsizing baby boomers and more efficient tower homes for millennial renters. The 22 custom apartment homes in the former embassy building feature larger loft, den, and townhome options with condo-quality finishes, while the tower units are more efficient and average 755 square feet.
While preserving the history, the development team also designed for the future. The historic embassy building was gutted, allowing Mill Creek Residential to install energy-compliant spray-foam insulation to prevent the build-up of mold and other detrimental elements. A new stormwater system was installed to process runoff. Numerous original windows were preserved, with all glass being replaced with double-paned insulated glass to create a more energy-efficient environment. In addition, LED lights and low-flow plumbing fixtures were installed in both buildings.
