The Elle Apartments (Previously The Vanguard Building), one of the first office-to-residential conversions in the district, was originally home to the Peace Corps office since 1965. After recently undergoing major renovations to become the Elle Apartments, this project became a major landmark in the city’s goal to reimagine downtown as a vibrant mixed-use community. This building, especially its expansive, striking façade, became the face of this restoration and was highly visible to government officials, the media, and DC residents alike.
PCC’s scope of work involved the entirety of the UHPC and ACM main building façade, the roof/penthouse fiber cement panels, storefront canopy ACM, and ground floor soffit panels. Over 600 UHPC panels were engineered, sized, and released per exact field dimensions taken from building scans. With varying substrate conditions and a complex panel pattern, precision with measurements, fabrication, and installation was paramount. With extensive lead times on the panels from Europe, PCC had one shot to get this right.
Working alongside our partners at McCullough Construction, the team completed the façade efficiently, safely, and within budget. Team PCC quickly adapted to the unforeseen challenges and is proud to have successfully delivered the seamless 34,000 square foot envelope worthy of the building’s groundbreaking historical status.
Mayor Bowser unveils major office-to-housing conversion in downtown DC | NBC4 Washington
