“Map data ©2024 Google” (Image capture 2022)
At 2901 16th Street, NW, nestled between Harvard Street and Columbia Road, sits a six-story Italian Renaissance Revival-style residential building known as the Copperfield Condominium built in 1912 by real estate developer and builder Joseph Julius Moebs (1875-1939).
The building was designed by Washington, DC architect Claughton West (1885-1978) who designed over forty apartment buildings throughout DC. By 1930, 50% of DC residents lived in apartment buildings. West collaborated with Moebs on several architectural projects, including The Biltmore at the southwest corner of 19th and Biltmore Streets, NW, 1318 Q Street, NW, 1818 Kalorama Road, NW, and 1824 Belmont Road, NW.
The exterior of the building was designed in buff-colored Tapestry brick with granite and limestone trim. The original plans called for seventeen units, each with hardwood floors, a fireplace, and a spacious balcony. Also included in the original plans was a roof-top garden, which would have been a unique feature in DC apartment buildings; however, this plan never materialized. It was estimated that the building cost $90,000 (approximately $3M today) to construct.
In 1914, rental fees for “five rooms and a bath” (a 2-bedroom unit) were $55.00 (approximately $1,700 today.)
In April 1916, Moebs sold the building to patent attorney Harry Aubrey Toulmin, Jr., (1890-1965), for $130,000 (approximately 3.7M today). The building changed ownership again in March 1918, when Toulmin and other investors purchased the Pelham Court apartments from local real estate investor Harry Wardman, an Italian Renaissance Revival-style building at 2121 P Street (currently the site of The Royal Sonesta Hotel). As partial payment for the $250,000 P Street property, Wardman took control of 2901 16th Street (known then as The Radnor) and other Toulmin properties.
In 1982, during the condo conversion boom of the 1980s, The Radnor (previously renamed The Copperfield) converted to condominiums. Initial prices were $52,000 for efficiencies to $104,000 for 2-bedroom units. Today, real estate valuators estimate the units in The Copperfield to sell for approximately $300,000 for a studio to $600,000 for a 2-bedroom unit, a 500% increase in value.
Located at one of the highest points in the city, The Copperfield sits at one of the most beautiful intersections in DC and offers spectacular views of city life. Convenient to the National Zoo, Meridian Hill and Rock Creek Parks, it is urban living at its finest. Walkscore.com calls it a Walker’s Paradise!
2901 16th Street, NW is designated as a contributing structure of the Meridian Hill Historic District.
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