A 20,000-square-foot Beaux Arts-style mansion in the Northwest side of Washington DC has been acquired by the State of Hungary for $16.5 million (4,5 billion forints), Washington Business Journal reported.
The building, located at 1500 Rhode Island Avenue, is known as one-time home to legendary scientist Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922). Originally constructed in 1879 in the Victorian style for the Brodhead family, the home was sold in 1882 to a wealthy lawyer, who was telephone inventor Bell’s father-in-law, the paper said, adding that the ownership of the mansion has changed now for the first time in 75 years.
Hungary’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed the acquisition as well as the price, Budapest-based daily Népszabadság reported. The Ministry told the Hungarian paper that it is a priority of Hungarian foreign policy to create and maintain a positive image of the country in Washington DC and moving the Embassy to a such representative building will effectively serve this important purpose.
Furthermore, the current home of the Hungarian Embassy, located at an office building in Cleveland Park, is in a very poor condition, the Foreign Ministry said. The paper also quotes property marketer Lucia Wadeson of Cresa Washington DC, who said the Hungarians made a solid offer and paid a reasonable price for the historic mansion.
via bizjournals.com and nol.hu photos: Cresa Washington DC (via nol.hu)