Courtesy, The Alexander Company
You’d think if a structure this amazing were in your city, you’d know about it, right? Um, well…
Shockingly enough, I grew up less than 30 minutes from the old National Park Seminary, which used to be a girls’ school and college in the early 20th century. The Army took it over during World War II for use as a hospital, and ultimately let the sprawling buildings — each with a different architectural style inspired by the 1893 Colombian exposition in Chicago — fall to ruin.
This is a story where developers stepped in and saved a property. The Alexander Company and EYA are in the process of restoring the old buildings (along with Alexandria landscape architecture firm Parker Rodriguez,) and constructing new town homes to match their older counterparts.
The above picture was the ballroom for the prestigious school, and it will return to its original calling, as it will be available for civic groups to rent for events.
Here are some pictures from the completed first phase of the project, which includes 66 rental apartments, 50 condos, 13 single-family homes, and 90 town homes.
You won't find interiors in a new condo building like these.
The views are spectacular -- they stretch across a 300-acre wooded glen, which will remain protected.
What I found most interesting on a recent trip out there, though, was the as-yet untouched relics, which are scheduled for later phases of renovation. The Alexander Company was kind enough to provide me with some historical photographs as well, so you can get an idea of the ghosts that live in these ruins.
Here is the original gym, for example:
And here it is today:
And here’s an old photo of a covered walkway:
And it still awaits some TLC:
The bridge below is long gone, but the glen it traverses will remain, with a stream that runs through it.
Also still intact is a wishing well down in the glen. If I close my eyes, I can see students sitting there, stealing a moment away from their studies:
And here are some steps that used to be immaculately manicured, with proper cone-shaped yews running up the sides, but they’ve suffered a century of neglect. Part of the National Seminary program involves restoring the landscaping in the glen.
Here is an old villa on the other side of the glen from the main campus, which will someday be a single-family home:
And just across from this villa is another one, which also awaits transformation:
Directly across from this structure is an old Dutch windmill:
Also to be rebuilt are the former stables and carriage houses, which have a Flemish architectural design. You can see new town homes to the left, which repeat that style:
While the renovations are ongoing, The Alexander Company has been keeping some relics from the original school in storage. Project Manager Dave Vos let me in to see these artifacts, which will be refurbished and placed back when they’re ready.
Old rosters, which will be re-hung in the renewed buildings
An old chapel pulpit, with a statue of a lion resting behind it.
I’ll sign off with the Japanese Pagoda — no college would be complete without one, right? It currently serves as an office for the developers, but will eventually be converted into a single-family home, which will give the new owners some pretty cool bragging rights!
Photograph by Lisa Chamberlain for the New York Times
Jennifer Sergent. Native Washingtonian. Former editor at Washington Spaces magazine and HGTV. Currently searching for – and writing about – DC’s design voices. Write to me @ 
This is an amazing property hidden at the edge of Rock Creek Park, right against the beltway. I would encourage anyone to go up to visit and walk around!
Wow, I had no idea. I am going to have to check this out.
National Park Seminary – saw this from the beltway today. there was a huge hole on the side of the building. has it been damaged by the recent snowfall?
avrghgt, there is one building that is half ripped away, so it looks like you’re looking into a doll house. That’s the degree to which some of these buildings need repairs! But they are all on a restoration schedule that is being done in three phases, so they will definitely be attended to… Thanks so much for writing.
What a STUNNING place! WOW! I cannot believe it was left to go to ruin. I’m slightly sad it is being converted into condos and apartments, but happy someone has stepped up to restore so much of this amazing architecture and the beautiful natural open spaces!
I looked at apartments here. They are all unique and oh so cool. The long halls off which the apartments are located are also unique in of themselves, you can definitely get a feel of the finishing school past. The floor height changes occasionally and there are doors separating different branches of the hall. Really really great historical preservation job.
Beautiful pictures! My boyfriend and I moved into one of the apartments this month, and I sent my parents in Indiana a link to this website so they could see our new digs. I feel so lucky to be living in such a lovely, idyllic space.
What a fun site this is .
Especially great for me as my Grandfather was a co owner of the school until it was comandeered by the army in WW2 At the time of his purchase the school had about 80 students three years later it was at capacity with 380.
He had four girls and thought bying a college would be cheaper than sending them to college! .
As I was looking at the pictures I saw my Mom sitting at the covered walk way in front of the fountain.
What wonderful memories t.his site brought back for her!!
Hope to come visit one day.
Beverly, WOW, thanks for writing this! How incredible to have such a personal connection to this place. I looked at all the old pictures and tried to imagine being one of those girls, having going to a women’s college myself — Smith College. I hope you do get to visit!