A historic lodge that when hosted Washington, D.C.’s elite and highly effective is now a luxurious senior dwelling neighborhood due to a renovation venture that up to date the constructing whereas sustaining its character.
In 2021, Omega Healthcare Traders (NYSE: OHI) and its working associate, Maplewood Senior Dwelling, introduced the enlargement of the corporate’s SHN Structure and Design Award-winning Inspir model to the D.C. market.
As an alternative of constructing anew within the D.C. space, the businesses bought the previous Fairfax at Embassy Row lodge within the metropolis’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. High of thoughts for the venture planners was each updating the constructing to serve at this time and tomorrow’s residents whereas additionally preserving the structure and design that made it a historic property.
Through the $200 million repositioning venture, Maplewood, Omega and designers with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners reimagined the previous lodge with a design that features widened corridors, out of doors greenery and a number of widespread areas with “museum-quality artwork” and customized millwork. The work preserved the constructing’s unique facade however in any other case turned a “dated city construction” right into a senior dwelling neighborhood with “fashionable performance.”
The tip product balances the lodge’s luxurious vibe with the necessity to serve residents of all acuity ranges in a 174-apartment neighborhood.
“It was actually thrilling to examine respiration new life on this historic constructing, endeavor an adaptive reuse of one thing that was inherently residential and permitting it to have the following technology use, each for itself, but additionally for the residents,” Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners Accomplice Jill Cavanaugh, advised Senior Housing Information.
For these causes and extra, Inspir Embassy Row earned the highest spot within the renovation and repositioning class of the 2025 Senior Housing Structure and Design Awards.
The idea
Planning for the renovations at Inspir Embassy Row started in July 2021.
On the time, hospitality belongings – significantly inns – had been buying and selling at deep reductions as a result of Covid pandemic. In response to Maplewood Co-CEO Tom Gaston, the operator and its REIT associate Omega noticed a chance to choose up a novel property at a very good value and finally landed on the D.C. lodge.
Of specific curiosity was the lodge’s wealthy historical past as a venue that hosted the households of George H.W. Bush and Al Gore and over time attracted notable figures comparable to Jackie Kennedy, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio and Nancy Reagan.
“When, a storied Washington, D.C. lodge with deep diplomatic and social historical past, crossed our desk, we knew we had recognized a really distinctive alternative to reimagine a landmark as luxurious senior housing in a premier neighborhood,” Gaston advised SHN.
The venture companions sought to protect the constructing’s historic facade relationship again greater than a century. However the constructing’s inside was a special story and necessitated a redesign. The constructing was filled with “underutilized areas with untapped potential,” like a sprawling and empty gathering room, dated foyer, sparse rooftop house and a darkish and cloistered parking storage with a low ceiling.
The designers reinvisioned these areas to serve older adults within the fashionable period. For instance, they deliberate to show the foyer right into a extra elegant house with extra pure gentle and sought to remodel the vacant rooftop into an “eighth flooring oasis” with views of D.C.
Within the parking storage, the designers deliberate a wellness flooring with a saltwater pool and different spa facilities.
The design group drew inspiration from the encircling neighborhood’s structure, and embraced delicate, natural supplies within the constructing’s idea. They used clear traces and symmetry in structure to uplift the look of the constructing whereas giving it a timeless really feel.
One of many biggest challenges to beat for the venture was navigating the constructing’s earlier two eras of design. The constructing was initially inbuilt 1924, and acquired an addition within the Eighties. The constructing additionally featured flip of the century, flat clay tile arches within the parts from the unique creation, which the architectural group wished to discover a option to protect.
The property resided inside three historic districts and roughly half of the construction was greater than 100 years previous. That required preserving sure historic components, in accordance with Gaston. Analysis and acquisition of the property additionally occurred in the course of the pandemic, with authorities workplaces closed and consultants largely working remotely.
It took cautious and intensive coordination to make sure inside transitions for residents to be straightforward to navigate whereas having the correct clearances for accessibility functions, comparable to toilet areas inside items.
What helped, in accordance with Cavanaugh, was having an engaged and energetic shopper in Maplewood.
“They had been very conscious of challenges within the subject that we had been encountering. They had been an ideal associate and communicator when it comes to articulating what they wished,” Cavanaugh stated.
It was additionally vital to maintain the top person in thoughts whereas designing the renovations, in accordance with Cavanaugh. The group got down to discover a option to incorporate landmarks all through the buildings, comparable to distinct archways and enormous fireplaces all through the constructing and tying in shade use for distinct visuals.
Lighting was additionally of the utmost significance to carry into the constructing to interrupt up the “forest of sameness” so there was a level of differentiation between areas.
“It is a fairly excessive finish model of senior dwelling, and so we didn’t need all the pieces to look chaotic,” Cavanaugh stated.
In the long run, Gaston stated a key facet of the idea was turning the adaptive reuse challenges of the constructing into strengths.
“We preserved and enhanced signature areas such because the Jockey Membership and the grand ballroom, whereas layering in 5 distinct out of doors facilities which are uncommon in an city senior dwelling setting,” he stated. “The result’s a neighborhood that feels reflective of Embassy Row, rooted in historical past but reimagined as a contemporary, wellness-focused residence for older adults.”
The development
After demolition in 2022, building crews with Turner Development Firm started work in 2023 on time.
One specific problem that arose was a scarcity of present drawings all through the constructing, and the groups needed to base lots of their data from laser scans. Whereas the scans revealed rather a lot, it couldn’t present all the pieces, comparable to what was above ceilings and beneath flooring.
All through the development course of, surprises had been encountered “on a regular basis,” in accordance with Cavanaugh.
“None of those unexpected circumstances had been catastrophic,” Cavanaugh stated. “However, there’s sometimes some extent of shock in a column that’s in a single location in your drawings, and it’s really six inches over.”
On account of elevated building prices attributed to the pandemic, Omega and Maplewood elevated the price range for Inspir Embassy Row, although Gaston famous a lot of the pressures had been in a position to be mitigated.
Whereas there have been loads of surprises that arose all through the development course of, nothing reached the purpose the place a cease work order was wanted and building continued repeatedly. Whereas there have been inefficiencies that arose and created slight delays, Gaston famous the venture was delivered on time, which is credited to the extent of communication between all groups engaged on the venture.
“[It was] a sequence of labor that wasn’t ideally suited for anybody, however having the ability to be dynamic, versatile and responsive … All of us work with one another, and I believe that’s actually a very good testomony to the group.”
The completion
Work wrapped up on Inspir Embassy Row in early 2025, solely barely delayed. The tip product has acquired reward throughout the board from shopper satisfaction, residents and business recognition, Cavanaugh stated.
“We proceed to return there to the constructing to provide excursions … it’s an energetic, activated place with a ton of programming and a ton of motivated residents,” Cavanaugh stated. “This is sort of a lodge, and it’s actually cool to see.”
SHN Design Award judges had been impressed with the efforts made to protect the historic facade of the previous lodge with solely minimal modifications, together with the efforts made to repurpose areas such because the rooftop and parking constructions into amenity areas just like the rooftop lounge, wellness middle and pool.
“A terrific instance of hospitality repurposed for seniors housing,” Chris Frommel, vice chairman and managing associate of Apture, wrote. “The design and facilities are terrific, and the constructing unquestionably integrates into the neighborhood.”
Erin Berry Harps, director of inside design for Aptura, famous the neighborhood blends historic allure with a contemporary reimagining of the constructing’s structure with a design that “showcases a artistic reinterpretation that honors the character of the unique construction whereas introducing contemporary, up to date components.”
Ben Seager, principal at agency KTGY, added the elimination of “overly ornate trim in widespread areas helped streamline the aesthetic, leading to a cleaner and extra up to date really feel,” and famous the facilities carry rather a lot for residents.
In response to Gaston, the venture exceeds unique expectations by “delivering the complete Inspir promise with luxurious hospitality requirements, thoughtfully designed residences, a number of out of doors
terraces, a devoted wellness flooring and wealthy cultural and culinary programming, all inside the preserved shell of an historic Embassy Row landmark.”
Lease up and occupancy are “on monitor” for the property as properly. The neighborhood is a cornerstone for the model and a template for future development, Gaston stated.
“Going ahead, the neighborhood will function a flagship in our advertising, investor relations, and thought management—illustrating how Inspīr can enliven historic neighborhoods, honor architectural heritage and meet the evolving expectations of at this time’s older adults and their households,” Gaston stated.
For Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, the venture acts as a option to broaden its choices into senior dwelling, and it’s now within the means of working with a number of different operators to work on three or 4 properties to faucet into further rising markets.
