AROUND TOWN

Standing on the corner of 16th and Fuller Streets, NW is the eight-story Century Apartments. Designed by Washington, DC architect Louis T. Rouleau (1896-1937), this 1936 apartment building, built for $300K ($6.5M today), was influenced by both International Style and Art Deco aesthetics. The vertical linearity of Art Deco styling and the multi-paned wrap-around International Style windows (originally casement) combine to make a beautiful, late-1930s residential building. Newspaper announcements showed that the stylish Century Apartments proved popular with embassy legation members, young newlyweds, and government workers.

In 1937, rental fees for studio apartments and one-bedrooms were $57.50 to $62.50 and $82.50 to $89.50, respectively. (Approximately $1,275 to $2,000 today.) 2024 monthly rental fees for studio apartments to two-bedroom units are $2,365 – $3,323.

Recently renovated by Soto Architecture & Urban Design, pllc for $17.5M, the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection system have been fully upgraded, and a “penthouse clubroom with full kitchen, outdoor rooftop lounge with fire pit and grill stations” was added. Building amenities include “a 24-hour fitness center that includes a brand new Peloton bike, a modern indoor bike storage room, a package concierge system, and a pet spa.”

The Century Apartment building is designated as a contributing structure of the Meridian Hill Historic District.