Want to Live in a DC Firehouse?

This 130-year-old building at 219 M Street, Northwest, recently hit the market. A quick look at the offering:

The history: Located in the Truxton Circle neighborhood, the firehouse was built in 1895. It remained in service until 1974, and in 1985 it was sold off as part of DC’s surplus-property disposal program. Since then, it’s been home to an entertainment production company and two gyms, among other things. One former longtime resident ran a parkour business on the bottom floor and lived in the penthouse, where he’d haul his dog up by using a pulley and bucket. (Don’t worry, the other floors have stairs.)

The potential: The building is in the Mount Vernon Square Historic District, which means the Victorian-era facade must be kept as is. But it’s zoned for mixed use, so it could be a living space. You’d have to do some work: The firehouse, which doesn’t have many historical touches inside, currently lacks a kitchen.

The price: It’s listed for $2.7 million, with two levels totaling 5,776 square feet. Not included, sadly: the fire pole, which was removed long ago.

This article appears in the October 2025 issue of Washingtonian.

Dara Mathis