Chinese Ambassador’s Residence
View the architectural study
Interpretive architectural study of the catalogued property.
2301 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
A red-brick house by Frost & Granger, built in 1905 for banker William Mearns. Three slate-clad dormers overlook a raised entrance and a curved red canopy on S Street.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1905 | documented; National Register district nomination credits Frost & Granger (1905), for William Mearns. DC CAMA AYB=1900 is a conflicting assessor field, not used as the architectural date. |
| Acquired by China | Date not verified | unverified; The 2026 tax record establishes PRC ownership but has no deed/sale date. The 1973 memorandum lists proposed houses; it does not establish a completed purchase. |
| Neighborhood | Sheridan-Kalorama | documented |
| Architect | Frost & Granger | documented |
| Rooms | 16 | verified; Current DC residential CAMA ROOMS for the identified dwelling; this assessor count is distinct from bedrooms, bathrooms or the number of modeled room studies. |
| Floor area | 12,000 sq ft | verified; Recorded DC CAMA building area; preserve the source field and building scope. |
| Site area | 22,300 sq ft | verified; Parcel total: 2518/0034. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded. |
| 2026 Value | $9.3M | verified; Parcel total: 2518/0034. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value. |
| Diplomatic use | 1974 | verified; Ford Presidential Library documents a December 4, 1974 luncheon at Ambassador Huang Chen’s residence, 2301 S Street. The board memorandum on PDF p. 65 is dated in context by the October 2, 1974 letter on p. 66 and January 17, 1975 retrospective on p. 67. This establishes actual use in 1974 without treating the 1973 purchase proposal as occupancy. |
Scope and Evidence
Residence identified by ANC 2D in May 2023; PRC ownership confirmed in the 2026 DC record. Current use is inferred from the retained evidence and awaits fresh embassy confirmation.
The 1905 architectural date comes from the National Register nomination; the assessor’s generic 1900 year-built field is retained in evidence as a discrepancy.
Residence totals cover parcel 2518 0034 only. Parcel 2518 0031 is separated by an intervening lot and has not been established as part of this estate; it is not counted.
The first diplomatic occupancy date and acquisition date remain unverified. The 1973 State memorandum proposes 2230 S Street as the chief’s residence; it does not prove when 2301 was occupied or purchased.
The exterior uses the public DC building footprint and overhead/facade imagery. No authenticated residence interior was located, so no room reconstruction is invented.
The publicly available facade reference has no established republication license; it is retained as research evidence, not presented as a licensed gallery photograph.
- history.state.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- oanc.dc.gov
- planning.dc.gov
- www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov
Research Questions
Where Is Chinese Ambassador’s Residence?
2301 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008.
When Was Chinese Ambassador’s Residence Built?
Constructed: 1905. Record status: documented. National Register district nomination credits Frost & Granger (1905), for William Mearns. DC CAMA AYB=1900 is a conflicting assessor field, not used as the architectural date.
Who Designed Chinese Ambassador’s Residence?
Architect: Frost & Granger. Record status: documented.
What Is the Floor Area of Chinese Ambassador’s Residence?
Floor area: 12,000 sq ft. Record status: verified. Recorded DC CAMA building area; preserve the source field and building scope. Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.
What Is the Site Area of Chinese Ambassador’s Residence?
Site area: 22,300 sq ft. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 2518/0034. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded. Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.
What Is the 2026 Value of Chinese Ambassador’s Residence?
2026 Value: $9.3M. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 2518/0034. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value. This is a tax assessment, not a verified sale price or market valuation. Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.