Real Estate Trust Company (Continental Trust Building): Finished in 1914, the Real Estate Trust Building is an elegant example of early-twentieth century office architecture.

The Real Estate Trust Building stands out among DC’s early-twentieth century office buildings. The building is a steel and concrete frame structure, sheathed in ivory-colored terra cotta with poly chrome accents. Its ground floor is clad in white marble. The Real Estate Trust Building was constructed between 1913 and 1914 in a highly ornate Beaux-Arts, Renaissance Revival style by Milburn, Heister & Company; they also designed other prominent commercial and government buildings in DC and across the United States during the early-twentieth century. The Real Estate Trust Building has weathered nearly a century without major alterations. While the ground-floor interiors have been renovated, the street-level façade appears to have been restored close to its original appearance, a rarity for downtown commercial buildings with their ever-changing first-floor tenants.

DC Inventory: October 2, 2014

National Register: January 20, 2015