A Naylor Court Stable With Many Lives Hits The Market
A 19th-century DC stable turned huge loft and an adjacent garage offered for sale as of Monday have a long history.
1315-1317 Naylor Court NW (map) are located in the Shaw alley of Naylor Court, which is connected to another historic spot, Blagden Alley. The alleys date back to the early 19th century, and many of the buildings there were once stables for horses and carriages that ferried market goods and people around a younger DC.
The larger stable building at 1315 Naylor Court is divided into two large loft units, and the couple living there has used both spaces as their home since purchasing the buildings in 2005. Each unit eschews segmented space in favor of a large, open layout.
“We haven’t done a lot to it,” said the owner, who asked to remain anonymous. “We like the openness. You divide up spaces by furniture arrangement and by lighting. You get used to not living with walls.”
The home’s raw look matches that of the alley, which is usually characterized as historic yet utilitarian. And the home’s previous uses add to that pedigree. There are hints around, if you know where to look, the owner told UrbanTurf; a beam upstairs in the stable once supported a hay loft, and outside there’s an original horse rein ring just waiting for the next rider to show up. The building was big enough to originally hold both horses and carriages, he said.
After serving as a personal stable, the home became headquarters for a grocer, E.J. Adams, whose name is still emblazoned on the side of 1315. Adams sent carriages to pick up goods from the canal in Georgetown, where shipments would float in, before distributing them at markets around the city. The buildings went on to have many uses as well as periods of abandonment; the owner said a still was found during a renovation that may indicate a previous use as an illegal watering hole during Prohibition.
The buildings then became a furniture factory, and in World War II the property’s woodworking tools were put to a different use: the space became an artificial limb workshop for wounded vets. In the 1960s, it turned into an auto shop.
“It’s had many lives,” the owner said. “It’s a very adaptable building in terms of what people could do to it.”
Right now, the couple rents out the large open garage of 1317 Naylor Court to auto enthusiasts who use it to work on classic cars. But a listing for the home, which is being sold through a sealed bid process without a set price, suggests a potential for more “synergy” between the two properties.
The owner said he loves living in the alley, where chats with neighbors often have a “Velcro effect.”
“One or two of us are in the alley chatting, eventually 2 or 3 three people come by and before you know it, you have 6 or 7 people, especially if you’re barbecuing something,” he said. “It has a nice village feel to it.”
Development nearby has occurred at a breakneck pace, and several projects are being built, planned or proposed for the immediate area, including another Marriott project and SB-Urban’s Blagden Alley residences. Despite all that, the property has plenty of windows and sunlight — rare for an old building in DC — and the home’s location is quiet and peaceful compared to living on a normal street, according to the owner.
The light is one of the couple’s favorite features of the home.
“As the light changes during the day, the character of the building changes,” the owner said. “As you move from one place to the other within the building itself, the character of the space is a little different.”
See other articles related to: 1315-1317 naylor court, alleys, dclofts, lofts, naylor court, shaw
This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/a_home_with_many_lives_hits_the_market_on_naylor_court/8504.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever
A Cathedral Heights condominium—located on Cathedral Avenue—with outstanding buil... read »
In this article, UrbanTurf will explain what special assessments are, how they work, ... read »
Plans are moving forward at the site of a long-planned project in Ivy City, however w... read »
Nearly 1,400 residential units are on the boards around Union Market, about the same ... read »
Up 8% year-over-year, it is the first time that prices have exceeded $800,000 for det... read »
- Two Bedrooms with Two Balconies on the Market in Amenity-Packed Cathedral Heights Condominium
- What Are Special Assessments in Condo Buildings and What Do They Cover?
- Douglas Development Pitches Large Warehouse For New City Site Along New York Avenue
- Hotels, A Public Park and The 1,400 Units In The Works For Union Market
- The Price For A House in The DC Area Hit A New High in April
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro