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."
Apartments at the Elle do not come cheap, however.
Prices start at $2,885 for a 574-square-foot studio and go all the way up to $6,088 for a one-bedroom, one-den 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).
"I think you could buy a house at that point," said Celia Luling who lives nearby the new Elle complex and said that pricing comes with the area. "That's a mortgage payment. That's actually crazy."
While reaction to the pricing was swift on social media, residents that WUSA9 talked to Thursday in the downtown area, however, had mixed opinions.
""That's D.C. I mean housing is expensive and it's not so easy to convert things so whatever the market can bear they got to be able to charge," D.C. resident Amir Nayieri said.
WUSA reached out to the mayor's office about the rent prices, after hearing concerns from people who want to live in the city. Her team said this project got started before D.C. was offering tax incentives for developers that include affordable units.
"At the very beginning we were working closely with [DC Councilmember] Brooke Pinto's office to try and get an affordability component," said Gary Cohen, the developer of the Elle buildings. "It was too early, it was during covid, it was a lot going on and so we were not able to do anything about it. So it's percent market."
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. revitalization 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.
WATCH NEXT:
Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET WUSA9
DOWNLOAD THE WUSA9 APP
Apple App Store: WUSA9 News on Apple
Google Play Store: WUSA9 News on Android
HOW TO ADD THE FREE WUSA9+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WUSA9.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "WUSA9" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WUSA9 NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our daily WUSA9 Newsletter for top stories from WUSA9 curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Commanders content, weather, and more delivered right to your inbox.