The Milton Hall Apartment Building is one of three brick, Art Deco-style former apartment buildings that are now owned and operated by The George Washington University as residence halls.
Constructed in 1938, Milton Hall is significant as an example of an apartment building constructed in response to rapid population growth in DC during the interwar period. It is also significant as the work of an innovative developer and a skilled architect. Developer Meadowbrook was responsible for significant advances in affordable, middle class, and luxury apartment buildings throughout DC and its suburbs. Architect Robert O. Scholz is regarded as one of the city’s most skilled apartment building designers; his Art Deco apartment buildings, including Milton Hall, are among the city’s most impressive examples of the style. Milton Hall's exterior ornamentation embodies the geometric and floral patterns of the Art Deco style that was intrinsic in the presentation of a completely modern apartment, designed to appeal to Washington’s burgeoning middle class of federal workers during the 1930s.
DC Inventory: January 28, 2010
National Register: June 18, 2010
]]>With the increasing demand to house federal employees and their families, Munson Hall's conventional high-rise style maximized space and affordability for its residents. The interwar period following the Great Depression made Foggy Bottom an in-demand neighborhood due to its proximity to downtown and streetcar lines, and Munson Hall fulfilled both of those needs.
Despite the functional needs for residents, the building's Art Deco architecture by Robert O. Scholz also gave Munson Hall aesthetic appeal. By the time of its completion, Washingtonians had accepted the need for apartment living, but the design elements still mattered in order to appeal to residents and passersby. Buildings like Munson Hall furthered access to affordable housing for middle-class families, with its one-bedroom and efficiency units, as well as its access to downtown DC as well.
While now owned by The George Washington University, the building is still used as housing and continues to give residents convenient access to various parts of DC.
DC Inventory: January 28, 2010
National Register: June 18, 2010
This site is a stop on the D.C. Apartment Buildings tour as an example of a Conventional High-Rise apartment building.
]]>With the continued and rapid population growth in D.C. between world wars, buildings like the Keystone were necessary and an economic solution to house workers and their families. The Keystone's conventional-high rise style maximized the amount of units inside and made it possible for large numbers of middle-class residents to occupy its units. The building's Art Deco-style by Robert O. Scholz was certainly a draw, but even more influential was the affordable housing it provided during this era.
Located in Foggy Bottom, the Keystone was a major indicator of city residents' acceptance of apartment buildings, as well as the demographic changes the city had undergone. Many residents were younger, had small families, and worked for the government. One of the largest apartment buildings at the time of completion, the Keystone helped establish Foggy Bottom as a prime location for middle-class households to reside. While the building is now owned and operated by the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, a non-profit, it still hosts the legacy of Washingtonians accepting apartment living.
DC Inventory: January 28, 2010
National Register: June 18, 2010
This site is a stop on the D.C. Apartment Buildings tour as an example of a Conventional High-Rise apartment building.
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