Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
View the architectural study
Interpretive architectural study of the catalogued property.
1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
The 1888 Susan Shields House stands at 16th and O Streets. Its brick walls, steep roof and corner tower predate the building’s diplomatic use.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1888 | verified DC CAMA AYB1892 differs; architectural sources retain 1888. |
| Acquired by Kazakhstan | June 1998 | documented KIAR’s 2021 account of Civil Action 14-cv-1638 identifies the purchase of 1401 16th Street with two other properties in June 1998. The purchase date comes from a secondary account of the filing; the deed has not been examined. |
| Neighborhood | Dupont Circle | verified Common neighborhood name; DC assessment neighborhood is Old City2. |
| Architect | Samuel Edmonston | verified |
| Rooms | 20–35 est. | estimated; Editorial estimate from the documented 18,826 sq ft floor area. Assume that 55–65% is enclosed, occupied room area, with an average of 350–500 sq ft per room; round the resulting limits outward to the nearest five rooms. Circulation, parking, stairs and open workstations are not counted as rooms. The allocation and room sizes are assumptions, not measurements from a floor plan. |
| Floor area | 18,800 sq ft | verified; CAMA living/gross building area |
| Site area | 10,200 sq ft | verified; Parcel total: 0195/0847. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded. |
| 2026 Value | $22.7M | verified; Parcel total: 0195/0847. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value. |
Scope and Evidence
1888 architectural construction date differs from 1892 in tax inventory.
Reported acquisition month and year; independent verification remains pending.
The chancery parcel measure and assessment exclude adjacent Kazakhstan-owned properties.
DC CAMA AYB1892 differs; architectural sources retain 1888.
Common neighborhood name; DC assessment neighborhood is Old City2.
DC commercial CAMA LIVING_GBA; source definition retained.
Main chancery parcel only; excludes separate Kazakhstan-owned parking and adjoining O Street parcel.
Tax assessment: $11,413,090 for land and $11,323,880 for improvements. Printed PDFp.271.
The display uses the main chancery parcel only. Adjoining Kazakhstan-owned properties are excluded from these area and assessment figures.
KIAR’s 2021 account of Civil Action 14-cv-1638 identifies the purchase of 1401 16th Street with two other properties in June 1998. The purchase date comes from a secondary account of the filing; the deed has not been examined.
- 1997-2001.state.gov
- kiar.center
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- otr.cfo.dc.gov
- respublika.kz.media
- sah-archipedia.org
- www.compass.com
- www.gov.kz
Research Questions
Where Is Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan?
1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Public DC parcel centroid; map locator, not entrance position
When Was Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Built?
Constructed: 1888. Record status: verified. DC CAMA AYB1892 differs; architectural sources retain 1888.
Who Designed Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan?
Architect: Samuel Edmonston. Record status: verified.
What Is the Floor Area of Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan?
Floor area: 18,800 sq ft. Record status: verified. CAMA living/gross building area Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.
What Is the Site Area of Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan?
Site area: 10,200 sq ft. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 0195/0847. 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 Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan?
2026 Value: $22.7M. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 0195/0847. 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.