Embassy of the Russian Federation
View the architectural study
Interpretive architectural study of the catalogued property.
2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC
The principal office building rises around an open courtyard above the Wisconsin Avenue campus.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1985 | verified Housing, school, kindergarten and sports facilities were completed in 1979; administrative and ceremonial buildings in 1985. The ceremonial inauguration followed in September 1994. |
| Acquired by Russia | 1969 (lease) | verified An 85 year lease to the USSR. DC records list the United States Office of Foreign Missions as owner. |
| Neighborhood | Glover Park | verified; The Glover Park local history identifies the Russian embassy complex at the former Mount Alto site as a neighborhood institution. |
| Architect | Mikhail Posokhin | verified |
| Rooms | 735–1675 est. | estimated; Planning estimate: rooms = building area × room-area fraction ÷ average room size. For this mixed office, residential and public property, assume 45%–65% of the recorded 900,000 sq ft is enclosed usable room area, with an average 350–550 sq ft per room. The range combines the low fraction with the larger room size and the high fraction with the smaller size, rounded outward to five rooms. Room allocation and average size are assumptions. Covers the whole Mount Alto campus, including offices and residential blocks. Estimated room range. |
| Floor area | 900,000 sq ft | verified; DC CAMA gross building area, parcel 1300/0564 |
| Site area | 549,000 sq ft | verified; Parcel total: 1300/0564. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded. |
| 2026 Value | $430.9M | verified; Parcel total: 1300/0564. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value. |
Scope and Evidence
The drawing uses a cropped landscape around the embassy group. Legal boundaries are recorded separately. Neighboring apartment buildings are excluded.
Property metrics cover DC parcel 1300/0564. Only the embassy group within the requested display crop is modeled; metrics are not calculated from the display tile.
Roof outlines follow public DC GIS data. Heights, repeated bays on obscured elevations, and landscape details are photographic or proportional estimates.
The 1994 ceremonial opening is distinct from the 1979 completion of initial residential and community facilities and the 1985 completion of the chancery.
The chancery was completed in 1985 and formally inaugurated in 1994. The compound’s 1979 occupation applies to its housing and community buildings.
- search.globescope.com
- gloverparkhistory.com
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- russiancouncil.ru
Research Questions
Where Is Embassy of the Russian Federation?
2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC.
When Was Embassy of the Russian Federation Built?
Constructed: 1985. Record status: verified. Housing, school, kindergarten and sports facilities were completed in 1979; administrative and ceremonial buildings in 1985. The ceremonial inauguration followed in September 1994. Verified in the record on 2026-10-23.
Who Designed Embassy of the Russian Federation?
Architect: Mikhail Posokhin. Record status: verified. Verified in the record on 2026-10-23.
What Is the Floor Area of Embassy of the Russian Federation?
Floor area: 900,000 sq ft. Record status: verified. DC CAMA gross building area, parcel 1300/0564 Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.
What Is the Site Area of Embassy of the Russian Federation?
Site area: 549,000 sq ft. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 1300/0564. 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 Russian Federation?
2026 Value: $430.9M. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 1300/0564. 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.