REAL ESTATE
The L’Enfant Trust Continues Rehabilitation of Historic Homes by John Muller
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rom repointing the late 19thcentury foundation at 1347 Maple View Place SE to the installation of a new roof on the early 20th-century home at 2010 14th St. SE, The L’Enfant Trust has not let an unseasonably harsh winter and repeated snow accumulation slow the progress rehabilitating two long-vacant properties in Historic Anacostia. Since the 1970s hundreds of initiatives have been planned and launched by federal and city agencies, community development corporations, and economic and policy research institutions in an effort to revitalize the city’s first planned subdivision, gridded in 1854. Sweeping change does not happen overnight.
Recent neighborhood success stories such as the Office of Planning’s Historic Homeowner Grant program, which has awarded up to $35,000 to homes throughout Anacostia for exterior repairs, rehabilitation, and structural work, have been administered on a small-scale similar to the work the trust has undertaken for decades. This year the trust will take part in helping the Historic Preservation Office administer this program. The L’Enfant Trust, founded in 1978, has accumulated more than 1,100 conservation easements throughout the city, which allow the organization to protect properties against demolition, neglect, and insensitive alterations and to ensure
The new architect and builder take measurements and a look around 1347 Maple View Place SE.
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that the buildings maintain their historic character in perpetuity. In 2013 the trust launched Washington’s first revolving fund program, in Anacostia. The program focuses on neighborhoods where preservation efforts will have the greatest impact on community revitalization. The trust obtains distressed properties View looking at the front of 1347 Maple View Place SE in late February. which then undergo rehabilitation before being protected er grant of $100,000 from the 1772 with conservation easements and Foundation to support its work in put on the market. Sale proceeds are Historic Anacostia. In-kind material “revolved” back into the fund to pay donations from corporate sponsors for future historic rehabilitations. have been provided by Enviroshake Through this program the trust, (composite roof shakes), Marvin with financial support from the 1772 Windows and Doors, American CeFoundation, acquired 1347 Maple dar & Millwork (windows on both View Place and 2010 14th St. in the projects), and Architectural Ceramics (tile). Pledges of support have also late summer of 2013. Due to the trust’s familiarity come from additional friends of the with the building permitting process trust, SCW Interiors and Galliher and local requirements for working & Huguely, the city’s leading lumber on historic buildings, the necessary yard for more than a century. building permits were quickly applied for and granted. Initial work 1347 Maple View Place on both Anacostia properties comIn late March 1909 the New menced last fall while the construc- York Times published an obituary tion phase began in February. After for Henry A. Griswold. It noted his an initial grant of $50,000 in 2013 leadership of the Anacostia and Pofrom the 1772 Foundation, a national tomac River Railway Company and organization dedicated to historic ar- local real estate investments: “At one chitectural and cultural preservation, time he was practically the sole prothe trust announced receipt of anoth- prietor of the thriving town.” Homes