Spanish Cultural Office — Former Embassy and Residence
View the architectural study
Interpretive architectural study of the catalogued property.
2801 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Mary Foote Henderson commissioned the limestone house as a proposed vice presidential residence. Spain later converted it into an embassy and ambassador’s residence. It now hosts the Cultural Office and SPAIN arts & culture.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1921–1923 | partial Photographed in 1922; completed by the 1923 offer to the U.S. government. Sources differ on the single completion year. |
| Diplomatic use | 1927 | verified Contemporary Evening Star report of 8 October 1927 records the ambassador’s move after alterations; some later summaries give 1926. |
| Neighborhood | Meridian Hill | verified DC assessment neighborhood: Columbia Heights. |
| Architect | G. O. Totten Jr.; J. H. de Sibour | verified Totten designed the original house; de Sibour is credited with the Spanish expansion. |
| Rooms | 35 | estimated; Low-confidence estimate for the cultural center, allowing for larger exhibition and performance spaces as well as offices and support rooms. 34,821 sq ft × 0.45 room-floor fraction ÷ 420 sq ft average counted room = about 35 rooms; sensitivity range 20–65. This is not a surveyed inventory. |
| Floor area | 34,821 sq ft | verified DC CAMA gross building area for SSL 2577 0821; parcel has more than one structure. |
| Site area | 29,995 sq ft | verified SSL 2577 0821 includes the house, terraces, and rear structures. |
| 2026 Value | $11,134,080 | verified DC tax year 2026 assessment for SSL 2577 0821; not an acquisition cost. |
Scope and Evidence
The former residence and the rear addition are one catalogue property. The scene does not imply that the ambassador currently lives here.
The 1926/1927 acquisition and occupation discrepancy is retained in the evidence record. The contemporary newspaper report supports occupation in October 1927.
Research Questions
Where Is Cultural Office — Former Embassy and Residence?
2801 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009.
When Was Cultural Office — Former Embassy and Residence Built?
Constructed: 1921–1923. Record status: partial. Photographed in 1922; completed by the 1923 offer to the U.S. government. Sources differ on the single completion year. Verified in the record on 2026-10-29.
Who Designed Cultural Office — Former Embassy and Residence?
Architect: G. O. Totten Jr.; J. H. de Sibour. Record status: verified. Totten designed the original house; de Sibour is credited with the Spanish expansion. Verified in the record on 2026-10-29.
What Is the Floor Area of Cultural Office — Former Embassy and Residence?
Floor area: 34,821 sq ft. Record status: verified. DC CAMA gross building area for SSL 2577 0821; parcel has more than one structure. Verified in the record on 2026-10-29.
What Is the Site Area of Cultural Office — Former Embassy and Residence?
Site area: 29,995 sq ft. Record status: verified. SSL 2577 0821 includes the house, terraces, and rear structures. Verified in the record on 2026-10-29.
What Is the 2026 Value of Cultural Office — Former Embassy and Residence?
2026 Value: $11,134,080. Record status: verified. DC tax year 2026 assessment for SSL 2577 0821; not an acquisition cost. This is a tax assessment, not a verified sale price or market valuation. Verified in the record on 2026-10-29.