COSCDA Sterling Achievement
Award in Housing
National Park Seminary
Submitted by the Maryland Department of Housing
and Community Development
National Park Seminary
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Originally built as vacation retreat in 1880s as “Ye Forest
Inn”
Converted to Women’s Finishing School (called National
Park Seminary), which added whimsical architecture to
campus. Later became a women’s college.
Converted to military hospital in WW II
Set for by Army for demolition, bought for $1 by “Save our
Seminary” to redevelop as mixed income project.
DHCD financed 19 SRO housing units for the homeless
operated by Catholic Charities
DHCD also financed 56 unit MF rental property for lowincome households, as well as 10 market rate units (total
project cost of $21,321,262 for all DHCD units).
National Park Seminary
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Project also includes 90 new infill
townhomes (all sold for between
about $650,000 - $850,000) as
well as 111 luxury condominiums
(last units selling for between
about $400,000 and $900,000).
Project also includes 13 single
family homes, typically selling in
excess of $1 million.
Total project cost of about $151
million (started in 2005,
completed in 2009)
Project also includes 12 acres of
parkland, and is in walking
distance to subway.
National Park Seminary
Historical Photos
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Upper Left – Dancing
around the Maypole
Lower Left – Theater
(interior destroyed by
arson)
Top - Caryatid
National Park Seminary
Sample Interiors Before Rehabilitation
National Park Seminary
“Architectural Follies” Before Rehabilitation
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Dutch Windmill
before (converted
to single family
home)
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Japanese Pagoda
(covered to
community office)
National Park Seminary
Before Rehabilitation
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Top – Infill Flemish Style
Townhouses next to older
Flemish Building
Right – Italian Villa before
(converted to condos)
National Park Seminary
Rehabilitation
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Top Left – Gothic Ballroom
(exterior)
Bottom Left – English
Tudor apartment building
Top – Spanish Mission
Condominiums
National Park Seminary
Low-Income Apartments
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Upper Left – Sample LowIncome Apartment under
construction
Lower Left – Sample floor
plan of low-income unit
Top – Apartment Building
undergoing rehabilitation
National Park Seminary
Ballroom Before and After
National Park Seminary
Sample After Pictures
Exterior of Gothic
buildings (now
condos)
 Exterior of singlefamily home
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National Park Seminary
After