Located along Washington’s historic “Avenue of Presidents,” the renovation of 1333 16th Street NW transformed a 16,000-square-foot Italianate mansion into a modern, mission-aligned headquarters for The Washington Center (TWC)—one of the nation’s most respected nonprofit experiential-learning organizations. Founded in 1975, TWC provides immersive internships and academic programs to students and early-career professionals from across the United States and around the world. Their new headquarters needed to embody their values of education, access, equity, and opportunity while functioning within a highly significant historic context.
Originally built in 1881 for Representative George M. Robeson and designed by Wyatt & Spear, the mansion is a contributing property within the Sixteenth Street Historic District, a corridor rich with architectural heritage and national civic identity. When TWC acquired the property, they sought to preserve this heritage while adapting the building for contemporary educational, administrative, and public uses.
Architect John Jessen led the 2007 renovation, guiding a careful and respectful transformation of the property. The approach balanced historical authenticity with modern functionality—restoring the building’s exterior grandeur, preserving key interior architectural features, and integrating updated systems, technology, and programmatic spaces needed for TWC’s growing operations.
Project highlights include:
- Full restoration of the Italianate façade, including the ornate cornices, arched windows, and detailed brickwork characteristic of the late 19th century.
- Preservation of significant interior elements—high ceilings, original millwork, and the mansion’s formal spatial hierarchy—while incorporating contemporary office, meeting, and training environments.
- Careful coordination with local preservation authorities, ensuring the renovation honored the Sixteenth Street Historic District’s guidelines and the broader cultural narrative of the “Avenue of Presidents.”
- Modernization of infrastructure such as mechanical, electrical, and life-safety systems to support long-term institutional use.
The result is a headquarters that reflects The Washington Center’s forward-looking mission while preserving one of Washington’s architectural treasures. Through this renovation, John Jessen helped prepare the historic mansion for a vibrant new chapter—supporting the development of future leaders and reinforcing the building’s enduring place in the civic fabric of the nation’s capital.
Project location: Washington, DC
Project size: 16,000 SF
Work previously completed by John Jessen as Principal Architect & Architect-of-Record with VOA Associates (now Stantec).