As church going habits and neighborhood demographics change, many church buildings are no longer in use as places of worship.  As we have seen with surplus District schools, a conversion to residential condos can bring a second life to a surplus building.  Several of our converted schools like Bryan School Lofts and Wormley Row are considered among the finest developments in the city.

Although there have not been as many church conversions in the District as converted schools, there are a coupe of notable conversions including:

Bishop's Gate

Grace Church

Residences at St. Monica's

The Residences at St. Monica's is a new development on Capitol Hill slated for delivery later this year.   With the 2009 merger of St. Monica's and St. James, the 1908 building formerly housing the St. Monica's congregation was sold to developer Community Three Development.

The project will feature nine boutique condos with architecturally unique features.  Four of the condos will have original stained-glass windows and the church alter will be the kitchen center-piece of another unit.  Original brick walls will remain and be prominent throughout the project.  Each residence will have a private outdoor entrance and use of the private interior courtyard.

Located on Massachusetts Avenue SE between A Street and 14th Street, St. Monica's is just a block from Lincoln Park.  The nearest Metro Station is Stadium-Armory, just over 1/2 mile away. View Residences at St. Monica's listings.

A housing staple of the Sunbelt, there are only a handful of gated communities within the DC city limits.  Our dense, urban landscape with a limited availability of vacant land has curbed the development of gated communities.

The gated communities in the District are quite popular and geographically dispersed throughout the city.  Here are brief overviews of four DC gated communities:

Beekman Place - Adams Morgan

Perched on a high on a hill like a medieval castle, Beekman Place offers a commanding presence over the intersection 16th Street and Florida Avenue.  Beekman Place is situated on a parcel that formerly housed a castle built for Senator John Henderson.  Today the stone entrance gateposts are all that remains of the Henderson Castle.

The Beekman Place location directly across 16th Street from Meridian Hill Park is just four blocks from the U Street Metro Station and also within walking distance of both Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan.

Beekman Place residents enjoy the reserved parking within the community gates.  Beekman Place consists of 216 town homes each with two levels and one, two or three bedrooms.  View Beekman Place listings

Bishop's Gate - Logan Circle

The Bishop's Gate community brings new life to the former St Augustine School, rectory and convent along 15th Street between R and S Streets. The buildings and site, which were originally built in 1929,  were sold for redevelopment in 1979 after the merger of St Augustine with St Paul.

Bishop's Gate is a gated community of 82 condos clustered around a beautiful courtyard. Bishop's Gate units are available in a variety of floor plans in the different buildings in this development.  Underground parking is a valued amenity by the residents of Bishop's Gate.

This Logan Circle location  is within walking distance of both the U Street and Dupont Circle Metro Stations.  It is also very close the the Whole Foods and all the urban action throughout the mid-town DC neighborhoods.  View Bishop's Gate listings

Hillandale

Hillandale is a luxury gated community located just northwest of Georgetown.  It was developed in the late 1980s on a 42-acre parcel that formerly served as the estate for oil heiress Anne Archbold.

Hillandale features 268 townhomes and single-family homes in a very wooded setting.  The community is bordered on two sides by parks, but is just a short walk to all the excitement of Georgetown.  View Hillandale listings 

The Car Barn - Capitol Hill

The Car Barn was developed in 1896 as a maintenance facility and administrative offices for the Metropolitan Railroad Company.  This Romanesque Revival style building was redeveloped in 2004 into 196 condos.

The massive L-shaped design of the Car Barn lends itself well to a wonderful interior courtyard.  Residents enjoy the community pool, covered parking and the security of 30 foot gates.

The Car Barn location on Capitol Hill in the Lincoln Park neighborhood is a short ten minute walk to the Eastern Market Metro Station and all the venues on Barracks Row.  View Car Barn listings

Sutton Place - Wesley Heights

The gated town home community of Sutton Place offers an array of amenities on the edge of the upscale of Wesley Heights neighborhood.  Sutton Place is a 200-unit community of town homes with bi-level configurations.  Lower level units include private patios and many upper level units have balconies.

Sutton Place is located off New Mexico Avenue a few blocks south of American University.  A big draw for the community is the adjacent Glover-Archibald Park.

The nearest Metro Station is Tenleytown-AU and the Mazza Gallerie and the restaurants in Friendship Heights are popular draws for Sutton Place residents.  View Sutton Place listings