A Storied History

Opening on June 1, 1919, the Mather Building was Washington DC's first all-concrete building. Built by rail stock car inventor Alonzo C. Mather of Chicago, the building pays homage to his home city's famous Mather Tower. Created initially as an office building and movie film storage facility, the fireproof building was clad in a gothic-revival terra cotta façade, which has been preserved for all to enjoy. 

Building use has transformed over the years — from private offices to government offices to the University of the District of Columbia's school of fine arts. Abandoned in the 1980s, the building was meticulously restored in 2003 to include commercial space on the bottom floor, artists residence on floors 2 and 3, and condominium living on floors 4 through 10.

Read more about the rich history of the building below: