The Dresden Condos For Sale | Kalorama

Located at 2126 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Kalorama is one of Washington, DC’s most expensive neighborhoods when it comes to real estate. And the Dresden Condominium is one of the District’s most notable buildings. This elegant Georgian Revival structure with its dramatic curved front facade was delivered in 1901 by prominent builder Harry Wardman and is widely regarded as one of his more elaborate designs. And if that’s not enough, the seven-story historical landmark is also listed in James Goode’s Best Addresses.

Located at 2126 Connecticut Avenue NW at the corner of Kalorama Road in the 20008 zip code, the Dresden was once home to highly coveted apartment rentals. Since then it has been converted to 62 spacious two to four-bedroom luxury condos for sale. With many of the units measuring in the 2,000 square-foot mark and the largest residence topping out at a staggering 3,175 square-feet, you might expect prices to be steep. Indeed, units here start in the mid-six figure range and climb to well over a million dollars.

Other historic buildings on the same street that have been similarly restored include 2029 Connecticut and 2101 Connecticut.

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Additional Info About Condos For Sale at The Dresden in DC

From the exquisite exterior relief work to the grand lobby and foyer, it is easy to see why Wardman considered the Dresden to be a stately monument to high society. The brick walls are two feet thick, and the city homes within have soaring ceilings, thick crown molding, original built-ins, and commanding views of nearby Rock Creek Park.  There are also dens and eat-in kitchens, many of which have been updated with modern amenities.

Of special note are the original restored parquet floors—but they are not the common parquet you might associate with drab 1960’s flooring. These floors are stunning with elaborate patterns and inlay work. Residents in this pet-friendly building also enjoy a staffed front desk and doorman, garage parking and a wonderful rooftop garden.

And then there’s the neighborhood itself—Rock Creek Park and the triangular Kalorama Park are each two blocks away, and the trendy Adams Morgan community is immediately to the east. There’s coffee shops and the ever popular So’s Your Mom deli, plus an amazing number of for bars and restaurants, such as American Guest House, Mintwood Place, the Little Fountain, Jack Rose Dining Saloon and so many more. If you’re ready for true throwback style and luxury, look into the Dresden—a timeless classic.

Kalorama: A Beautiful View

Roughly translated, Kalorama means fine view in the Greek language; it can also be interpreted as wide or beautiful view. When the neighborhood was in its infancy, the term was quite apt. But even now, all these years later, the community is still a lovely place, set into gently hilly terrain and stocked with homes and converted apartment buildings that represent a treasure trove of historic architectural design.

The land was originally a 625-acre grant from King Charles II to an indentured servant, James Langford, circa 1659. James and his brother John, and their parents John Sr. and Agatha, had made the pilgrimage to the colonies, settling in Maryland. James passed at the age of 31 and the land transferred to John, and eventually to John’s son William. By that time, an additional 50 acres had been added to the holdings. Around 1795, after subsequent land sales, a mansion known as Belair was built by Gustov Scott. The home in turn, was sold to notable poet and diplomat Joel Barlow who renamed it Kalorama. The estate was one of the few in the area until the 1880s, when the District began spreading its development by building roads, bridges and laying in water lines.

At this point, residential development spread rapidly, first with large single-family homes, followed around the turn of the century by grand apartment houses and hotels. The Dresden with its striking curvilinear design was one of many buildings that comported its design to the sometimes unusual lot boundaries that occurred due to curving roads and sharp-angled intersections.

The Dresden FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What can you tell me about the architecture and history of The Dresden?

A: Built in 1909, The Dresden has a curvilinear front façade at the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Kalorama Road. It was developed by Harry Wardman and designed by Alfred H. Beers in a distinctive Georgian Revival style. It was initially an apartment building and converted to condos in 1974.

Q: Is the building pet-friendly, and is there a front desk?

A: The Dresden is a pet-friendly building. There is a staffed front desk, a doorman, and a lovely rooftop with gardens and incredible views of the city from an elevated address.

Q: Is there public Metrorail transit in the area?

A: The two closest Metro stations are the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan station on the other side of Rock Creek Park, and the Dupont Circle station which is only about a half-mile south of The Dresden, via Connecticut Avenue.

Q: How far is it from The Dresden to downtown Washington, DC?

A: It is just over a mile from 2126 Connecticut Avenue to downtown DC, using Connecticut Avenue as your roadway. The White House is just a few blocks further south.

Kalorama Today

The Kalorama of today does not look all that different on its surface as it did a century ago, save for Washington, DC traffic and the cars that have replaced horse-drawn carriages. Fashions have certainly changed—jeans and baseball caps replacing top hats, overcoats and ankle-length dresses. But when strolling along the sidewalks on a quiet Sunday morning and gazing at these buildings with their cornice work, bays and attention to detail, and it might seem as if it’s still a very close relation to the neighborhood of the past.

While there are not a lot of shops or restaurants within the actual bounds of Kalorama—this isn’t the urban hotspot of next-door Adams Morgan, for example—there are still a number of interesting places in the community. Numerous foreign embassies and missions are nearby, including the Consulate of Poland, the Embassy of India, Embassy of the Republic of Malta and the Consulate Generale of Bolivia to name a few.

Kalorama has always been known as a favorite community for wealthy and influential residents, including past presidents like William Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover. Barack Obama and family currently reside in the neighborhood, as does Jeffrey Bezos of Amazon and the Washington Post. You don’t have to be famous to live here, but you may have an appreciation for Washington history and architecture.

To learn more about condos for sale at The Dresden, or other Washington luxury properties, call Andre Perez at District Partners at Compass, 202-798-3600. 

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