Winder Building
- Style
- Federal
- City
- Washington, DC
- Collection
- federal washington
The Winder Building is an early federal office building at 604 17th Street NW, just west of the White House, built for W. H. Winder, a nephew of Gen. William H. Winder, and designed by either Richard A. Gilpin or Robert Mills. The federal government purchased it in 1854 for $200,000 to house government offices, making it an early example of centralized federal office space in the capital.
the building
Stucco stripped to brick. The building was originally covered in stucco; that finish was later stripped away and the exposed brick painted, changing its appearance from the original design. The windows have also been replaced over the years.
the style
The Winder Building is cited as an example of Federal architecture, the restrained, classically derived style used for early American government and civic buildings of the period.
More on Federalthe architect
Sources differ on the architect: the building is attributed either to Richard A. Gilpin or to Robert Mills, the prolific federal architect best known for the Washington Monument and the Treasury Building.
significance
The Winder Building is an individually designated DC Historic Landmark and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. It was threatened with demolition in 1974. Today it is maintained by the General Services Administration and has housed the Office of the United States Trade Representative since 1981; from the 1960s until 1973 it held the Office of Emergency Planning/Preparedness.
nearby
- U.S. Civil Service Commission Building
- Eisenhower Executive Office Building
- Renwick Gallery (Old Corcoran Gallery)
- Peter Parker House
- Blair House (Blair-Lee House; President's Guest House)
- Octagon House (John Tayloe House)