The Ethelhurst: Built from 1902 to 1903, The Ethelhurst was one of the earliest multi-story apartment buildings in Washington.

Built from 1902 to 1903, The Ethelhurst was one of the earliest multi-story apartment buildings in Washington. It was designed by T. Franklin Schneider, an architect and entrepreneur who pioneered luxury multi-story apartment buildings in DC. Upon its construction, The Ethelhurst was among the tallest of its kind, at eight-stories tall (103-feet in height). It occupied one corner of an intersection that once included three T. Franklin Schneider-designed apartment buildings, constructed between 1896 and 1906.

A highly regarded businessman and designer, known as the “Young Napoleon of F Street,” Schneider was prolific in his work, designing over 2,000 houses, businesses, and apartment buildings in an eclectic mixture of styles. The stylistic detailing of The Ethelhurst was in keeping with Beaux-Arts-influenced architecture that profoundly marked Washington's architecture in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. The Ethelhurst was particularly noteworthy due to its height, fireproof construction, luxurious interiors, and proximity to downtown, which promoted a live-work lifestyle in an increasingly commercialized area.

The Ethelhurst was designed to attract wealthy residents, specifically those who worked in high-income downtown jobs. Thus, the building illustrates the demographic forces that affected the development of downtown at the turn of the century. The building is also representative of early-twentieth century architectural trends related to the McMillan Plan, such as Beaux-Arts architecture.

The Ethelhurst is clad in painted brick with cast-stone and cast-iron architectural details. Despite interior alterations, the exterior of the building is largely unaltered, and retains sufficient integrity to convey its significance as an early twentieth century apartment building.

In 1958, The Ethelhurst was converted from apartments into an office building. Today, the building is known as The Architect Hotel.

DC Inventory: October 23, 2014

National Register: June 26, 2019