Westory Building: This Beaux-Arts style office building represents the transition of downtown from a residential to a commercial district.

For much of the 1800s, the area around the future Westory Building was a fashionable residential neighborhood. Beginning in the 1860s, however, commercial buildings began to replace residences as the area became a financial and business hub.

Completed in 1907, the Beaux-Arts style Westory Building's early tenants included the Thos F. Keane Chop House and Buffet, described as “A Resort for Gentlemen,” and, through the 1920s, financial firms and small businesses filled its floors. The terra cotta ornamentation of the double-height base and the attic level, which is separated from the main brick shaft by a row of roaring lion heads, exemplifies the influence of the recently completed McMillan Plan on the city's business community, and beautifully illustrates the City Beautiful Movement as applied to office buildings.

Designed by architect Henry L.A. Jekel and built by nationally known builder George A. Fuller, the Westory Building is a striking example of an early 20th century steel-frame, multi-story commercial building. More recently, the building, now known simply as The Westory, was rehabilitated and includes modern additions that add to its massing and form.

DC Inventory: June 28, 2012

National Register: September 10, 2012