Downtown DC's first office-to-residential conversion unveiled

WASHINGTON — Mayor Muriel Bowser’s plan to convert unused office spaces into residential apartments is starting to come to fruition. The Elle, showcased at a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, is now a 163-unit residential property at 1111 20th Street, Northwest after once housing U.S. Treasury Department employees. 

At the unveiling, Bowser reiterated what has been one of her biggest platforms since she was sworn in for a third term- the need to bring business back to downtown, D.C. While she has called on the federal givernment to help by mandating workers be back in the office, she has focused her own energies on converting vacant offices to become housing. 

“The transformation of Downtown DC is focused on people," Bowser said. "We’re changing spaces and filling spaces with one big goal: to bring more people Downtown. And that’s what this conversion is helping us do." 

Prices start at $2,885 for a 574-square-foot studio and go all the way up to $6,088 for a one-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms. There are currently 111 units available at the complex. Some features and amenities include a rooftop pool, coworking spaces, a fitness center, pet space, and on-site parking (at an additional fee).

Property management company Bozzuto is behind the new apartments. According to its website, the company manages at least 54 luxury apartments in the District. It is also one of 14 companies being sued by the city for price gouging.

Bowser also used the ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the latest in her series of downtown, D.C. revitilazation programs. The “Office to Anything” program will be funded in next year's budget, and is meant to "incentivize the transformation of vacant office buildings into retail space, restaurants, hotels, and other uses." According to the mayor's office, there are 11 other similar projects in the development pipeline with the goal of bringing 2,300 new housing units to downtown, D.C. 

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