The most expensive home in DC is listed for sale for $29,950,000. It is the former Blaine Mansion located at 2000 Massachusetts Avenue with rear commercial space on P St. and 6 condos. A last-of-its-kind Gilded Age 7,000-square-foot mansion residence complements over 14,000 square feet of versatile income-generating commercial space within a stunning structure brimming with historical significance.

The History of the Blaine Mansion

The most expensive home in DC for sale currently is the James G. Blaine Mansion, commonly known as the Blaine Mansion, the most expensive home in DC Library located at 2000 Massachusetts Avenue just off Dupont Circle.  The red brick house was completed in 1882 for  James G. Blaine, a Republican politician from Maine who served as Speaker of the House and later as a US Senator and US Secretary of State. He was also a presidential candidate who was narrowly defeated by Grover Cleveland in 1884.

In addition to Blaine, the mansion has served as the residence of other prominent individuals, including several and a French ambassador.  During WWI it was used as a meeting space for the newly formed United Service Club. Following the war, diplomatic occupants including the Japanese embassy and the Colombian ambassador. The mansion was used as office space for the Rural Electrification Administration during the Depression and by New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia during WWII when he led the Office of Civilian Defense.  Even the United Nations has leased part of the building in the late 1940s and 1950s.

The lower floors of the mansion have remained in use as office space for various businesses since that time. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the building was completely renovated after it was purchased by diplomat and attorney John R. Phillips and his wife, journalist and Obama administration official Linda Douglass. The renovation included converting the upper floors into a penthouse, renovating an adjoining commercial space fronting P Street, and constructing a narrow luxury residential building and underground parking deck on land adjoining the mansion.  The renovation and expansion, designed by Van Dusen Architects, included the construction of 6,000 square feet (560 m2) of retail space, a three-story underground parking garage, and a narrow six-story condominium building adjoining the mansion.

Location and Design of the Most Expensive Home in DC

The James G. Blaine Mansion is separated from Dupont Circle by a small triangular lot. The address for the main building is 2000 Massachusetts Avenue NW. The adjoining commercial buildings have the addresses 2000 and 2003 P Street NW. The address for the adjoining residential building is 2002 Massachusetts Avenue NW.[11][54]

the most expensive home in DCThe design of the most expensive home in DC on the market is a combination of Queen Anne and Second Empire architectural styles, the former being a popular design in the United States from 1880-1910 and the latter from 1865-1880, with Chateauesque details. Many of the original interior and exterior details have been removed or altered since the mansion was first built.

The mansion is a red brick building with the main entrance on Massachusetts Avenue. The original design included an entrance for carriages on Massachusetts Avenue with a large stained glass window above and a separate stone entrance with brass railings facing Dupont Circle. A fireplace stood at the end of a large wood-finished hallway measuring 15 feet (4.6 m) wide and 45 feet (14 m) long as one entered the Dupont Circle entrance. Off this main hallway was the reception room on the right and parlors, the dining room, and library on the left. The dining room was not large compared to the size of the house and included a dumbwaiter. There were many elaborately decorated rooms in the house including a bathroom featuring a Turkish bath and a billiards room in the basement.  Every room in the house had a fireplace, many of which were accented with mantelpieces and mirrors. There were 64 windows allowing natural light throughout the building and an oak stairwell decorated with elaborate carvings.

The Most Expensive House in DC for Sale – In Present Condition

The multiple listing description captures the property as it is being offered for sale in 2023. Approaching the grand porte-cochere over the original cobblestone driveway, one is given a glimpse into the world of James G. Blaine, and the extravagant lives of Washington’s high society in the 19th century, when DuPont Circle served as the exclusive meeting point for all the city’s power players. Power ismost expensive home wine cellar evoked as one takes the private elevator up to the reception area, where a paneled archway reveals a stunning foyer whose skylight allows light to penetrate the rotunda and flood into the core of the residence. A stunning fireplace, one of six, compliments the exquisite millwork surrounding the room and allows one to soak in the masterful renovations legendary Washington architect Benjamin A. Van Dusen curated. The spaces throughout are well-proportioned, effortlessly flowing, and intricately detailed, such as the proper gentleman’s library with extensive built-ins and two light-filled dens with spectacular views of DuPont Circle park. This also includes embassy-sized formal living and dining rooms, the former of which is cozy and inviting, the latter of which is accessed via French doors and is elegant in its simplicity. The kitchen is similarly inviting, with its own woodburning fireplace, built-in booth, warm wood tones concealing top-of-the-line Miele, SubZero, and Wolf appliances, and stunning marble countertops. The home is ideal for entertaining, easily hosting a 40-person sit down dinner, or a 150-guest party. The private outdoor terrace, located just off the kitchen, is another stunning amenity, with both its covered and uncovered areas affording total privacy. The integrated grilling station and water feature only add to the ambiance. A temperature-controlled wine cellar rounds off the main level. Upstairs, the primary suite boasts vaulted ceilings owing to the mansard roof and features luxurious amenities such as sumptuous separate baths and corresponding dressing rooms. Also found on this level are large secondary bedrooms, their own equally luxurious baths, a private fitness center with a built-in sauna, and a high-ceilinged office. Indeed, any home of this caliber ought to be built like a fortress. In this regard, the residence is served by seven HVAC zones, a comprehensive Data Watch security system, Sonos in every room, and double pane windows throughout, with a triple pane in the primary bedroom to add comfort and reassurance. Exclusive rooftop access allows for the use of a private 60-foot lap pool and outdoor kitchen with stunning city views of DuPont Circle. Located directly on DuPont Circle, nothing more needs to be said about the unmatched location of this proposition. Blending elegance with practicality, history with modernity, and space with an incomparable setting, the Blaine Mansion is a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of Washington’s history.

What Other Luxury Homes are for Sale in the DC Metro Area?

While this is the most expensive home in DC for sale now, there are other options in DC, Maryland and Virginia.  If you would like more information on the luxury homes on the market in the metro area, please give the Lise Howe Group a call at 240-401-5577 or email us at lise@lisehowe.com.

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