WASHINGTON, D.C. – Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Chair Sara C. Bronin and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Thursday, July 27 presented The Appleton at Spring Flats in Washington, D.C., with the 2022 ACHP/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation. The award was presented during a ceremony at HUD Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
This annual award recognizes a single project that has successfully advanced the goals of historic preservation, while at the same time providing affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. This year, the partners are bestowing two awards, as the award cycle has shifted from fall to summer.
“We applaud the partners behind The Appleton at Spring Flats, who have illuminated the vital role of historic preservation in ensuring more sustainable, equitable communities and in tackling the affordable housing crisis,” Bronin said. “Across all levels of government, we must commit to making it easier to convert and rehabilitate more older buildings for housing.”
HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge agreed that historic preservation is key.
“Preservation is critical to community health and our work to expand the supply of housing across the country,” she said. “Everyone deserves to live in a community they feel connected to. Preserving pre-existing homes is one way to ensure families of all incomes, particularly people with low incomes, can access housing of their choice.”
Leila Finucane, President and Chief Executive Officer of Victory Housing, accepted the award on behalf of The Appleton at Spring Flats.
“We are honored to receive the ACHP/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation on behalf of the entire team,” Finucane said. “Spring Flats, a public-private partnership with the District of Columbia to redevelop a 3.3 acre site, included this endeavor to restore the historic but long vacant Hebrew Home for the Aged into The Appleton, an affordable senior community. Revitalizing this once-cherished community asset while fulfilling our mission to provide affordable senior housing has been a labor of love for Victory Housing, Brinshore, Banc of America CDC, Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners and Hamel Builders, and we have appreciated the support and input of the neighborhood community and all of our other partners along the way.”
The building now housing The Appleton at Spring Flats was constructed as the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Washington, D.C., in 1925 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After being abandoned in 2009, the development team of Victory Housing, Brinshore Development LLC, and Banc of America CDC in 2020 acquired the site via a ground lease from the District of Columbia. The plan for The Appleton at Spring Flats in the Petworth neighborhood included restoration of the building’s exterior and a full interior rehabilitation to 88 affordable age-restricted apartments, including 14 units for those who experienced homelessness.
With the help of the design team at Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners and general contractor Hamel Builders, the development team successfully preserved the character of the historic and culturally significant building. The restoration of the building included rehabilitation of ornamental Star of David windows, exterior brick, terra cotta bas relief, and two original cornerstones. Completed in December 2021, The Appleton at Spring Flats surpassed all energy and sustainability requirements, achieving a LEED Gold certification. It adhered to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties, and when the project was reviewed pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, it was found to have no adverse effect on the historic properties.
The large site presented opportunities to develop complementary new infill construction. The Robeson, a newly constructed mixed-income multifamily building with 87 units, and The Rows, 10 mixed-income townhomes for sale, were designed to complement the historic building. Between The Appleton, The Robeson, and The Rows at Spring Flats, the approximately $78 million project created a total of 185 residential units, 80 percent affordable to seniors and families. Spring Flats was financed with a complex, multi-layer structure that included support from many partners.
In addition, there was extensive community engagement throughout the entire process, with the local advisory neighborhood commissioners, the Petworth Action Committee, and the community at large. The result is a project that has integrated seamlessly into the existing neighborhood and directly reflects the values of the community.
About the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.
About the ACHP: An independent federal agency, the ACHP promotes the economic, educational, environmental, sustainability, and cultural values of historic preservation and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy. It also influences federal activities, programs, and policies that affect historic and cultural properties. See www.achp.gov for more information.
The Appleton at Spring Flats Commemorative Video
