Harry Wardman
Harry Wardman (April 11, 1872–March 18, 1938) was a real estate developer in Washington, D.C. during the early 20th century whose developments included landmark hotels, luxury apartment buildings, and many rowhouses.
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Personal life [edit]
Born in Bradford, England in 1872 (the 1900 federal census - Washington, D.C. - says he was born April 1869), Wardman was the son of English textile workers. In 1889, at age 17, he arrived in New York City, where he worked in a department store. He later moved to Philadelphia, where he worked at the Wanamaker's department store and met his wife, Mary Hudson. They had one daughter, Alice. In 1893, Wardman arrived in Washington, D.C., where he worked as a carpenter, learned to build staircases, and soon got into building homes and apartments. By 1900, Wardman was widowed and in 1908, he married Lillian Glascox. Harry and Lillian had one daughter, Helen.
Building career [edit]
Rowhouses [edit]
Wardman built many of the city's rowhouses, especially in the neighborhoods of Columbia Heights, Bloomingdale, Eckington and Fort Stevens Ridge. Wardman’s first houses, designed by architect Nicholas Grimm, included those located at the 900 block of Longfellow Street, NW. To this day, his homes are renowned for their high-quality construction and materials. In 1907, he embarked on a project to build 750 rowhouses in Columbia Heights, which included new design elements, most notably the front porch. Some of his design ideas were copied by the dozens of other developers — Lewis Brueninger, Harry Kite, Francis Blundon, David Dunigan, and others — who built massive rows of townhouses in the District.
Apartments [edit]
Wardman's success at rowhouses allowed him to move up to building luxury apartment buildings, mostly designed by architect Albert H. Beers, and located along 16th Street, NW, Connecticut Avenue, Columbia Heights, and elsewhere. They include:
- The Chastleton - 1701 16th Street, NW
- The Wardman - 1916 17th Street, NW
- The Brittany - 2001 16th Street, NW
- The Dresden - 2126 Connecticut Avenue, NW
- The Maxwell - 1419 Clifton Street, NW
- Northumberland Apartments - 2039 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
- Rutland Court - 1725 17th Street, NW
- South Cathedral Mansions - 2900 Connecticut Avenue, NW
- Wardman Court (formerly, Clifton Terrace) - 1312 Clifton Street, NW
- Wardman Row - 1416-1440 R Street, NW
- Copley Plaza - 1514 17th Street, NW
- Cavanaugh Court - 1526 17th Street, NW
- Apartment Building at 2225 N Street
Hotels [edit]
In 1916, he built the 1,200-room Wardman Park Hotel (now the site of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel and Conference Center) along Connecticut Avenue in Woodley Park. The hotel was successful, meeting the strong demand of an influx of government workers after World War I. In 1984, the Wardman Tower, an apartment building located on the hotel site, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[1] In 1928, Wardman built the Hay-Adams Hotel, designed by Turkish architect, Mihran Mesrobian, and located across from Lafayette Park. Other landmarks built include the British Embassy.
Wardman's efforts made him wealthy, and for a time he lived extravagantly in Washington and abroad. But most of his $30 million fortune vanished in the 1929 stock market crash. He continued to build middle-class homes. Wardman died in 1938 from cancer and is buried in Rock Creek Cemetery.
Suburban developments [edit]
In 1927, he assumed the presidency of Washington Suburban Realty Company, developer of Cheverly, Maryland. He held that position until the stock market crash of 1929.[2]
References [edit]
- ^ Description of listing of Wardman Park Annex and Arcade (Wardman Tower and Arcade) on National Register of Historic Places in website of National Register of Historic Places.com. Accessed September 9, 2009.
- ^ "Community Summary Sheet, Prince George's County". Cheverly, Maryland. Maryland State Highway Administration, 1999. 2008-05-10.
Further reading [edit]
- Berk, Sally (2004) “Wardman Row House Tour”, D.C. Preservation Advocate. Spring 2004 newsletter. [1]
- Fleishman, Sandra (October 15, 2005) “Wardman’s World”, The Washington Post. p F01. [2]
- Kelsey & Associates, Inc. (Paul K. Williams). History of the Hay-Adams Hotel. Manuscript, 2000.
- Toomey, Helen, Faith Hofstader (1998) Harry and Lillian Wardman Papers, 1916-1930, Special Collections Finding Aid. The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. [3]
- Washington Post (March 19, 1938) "Wardman Dies: Made and Lost Riches in Realty Englishman Who Became D.C. Building Leader Was 65. Wardman Dies Made and Lost Riches in Realty Wardman", The Washington Post. p. X1.
- Williams, Paul K. 'Harry Wardman,' section included in various house histories, 1995-2006.
