The Annex on 12th has been honored with the Best Conversion Award in the Washington Business Journal’s Best Real Estate Deals (BRED) of 2024. This adaptive reuse project exemplifies the growing trend of transforming historic federal buildings into vibrant, high-end residential communities.
Originally constructed in 1936, the former U.S. Department of Agriculture Cotton Annex building underwent a remarkable transformation. Following a strategic acquisition and entitlement process led by Douglas Development, the site was sold to Carmel Partners in 2021. The new owners successfully delivered the 120,000-square-foot building’s conversion in late 2024, resulting in 562 luxury apartment units, 1,300 square feet of retail, and 93 below-grade parking spaces—all just one block south of the National Mall.
This project showcases the potential of thoughtful adaptive reuse. The design and construction team preserved the building’s historic character while adding modern amenities like a rooftop infinity pool!
Congratulations to our client Carmel Partners and our other industry partners BKV (conceptual design) and Design Collective Inc. (architect).
SK&A served as the structural engineer for this award-winning project, supporting the conversion through adaptive reuse planning and design.
