Washington Post Building No Landmark

WASHINGTON, DC-While history has been made at the Washington Post, its building at 1515 L St. NW apparently is not a historical landmark.

As Jeff Bezos is perhaps a few weeks ago from closing on the purchase of the storied newspaper, indications are that the Amazon founder will retain interest in the property built in 1950. Prior to the sale, the Washington Post building was put on the market for sale by the newspaper ownership along with land beneath a building on the corner at 1100 15th St. NW and two Robinson Terminal warehouse sites on the Alexandria saterfront, according to the Washington Post.

The region's preeminent historical advocacy group, the D.C. Preservation League recently decided the building did not warrant landmark status, thus clearing a potential roadblock if Bezos decides to sell the property.

Rebecca Miller, executive director of the league, says, “It's about what historically happened there, the news stories and events,” she said. “From an architectural perspective, it leaves a little bit to be desired.”

The Preservation League panel stated in a report on the property, “While the committee was willing to accept the intellectual proposition that the building could be significant as an example of a rare Washington modernist industrial structure and for its role in the Watergate scandal, most thought that it was aesthetically lacking and therefore was not a high priority for landmarking.” See story in the Washington Post.