Alva Belmont House history Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument

1 alva belmont house history

1.1 becoming national woman s party headquarters
1.2 renovations belmont house
1.3 demolition threat
1.4 post-1970s renovations

alva belmont house history
becoming national woman s party headquarters

alva vanderbilt belmont

on may 8, 1921, national woman s party (nwp) announced had purchased old brick capitol, historic red brick structure built in 1815 congress temporary site national legislature until united states capitol (burned during war of 1812) rebuilt. organization planned offer library, reading rooms, sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, , dining facility @ new headquarters, replaced temporary facilities on lafayette square. organization obtained structure $150,000, , spent $50,000 repairing , upgrading it. headquarters dedicated on may 21, 1922.

however, in 1902, u.s. senate park commission issued recommendations development of national capital. report, report of senate park commission. improvement of park system of district of columbia (better known mcmillan plan after commission s chairman, senator james mcmillan) had recommended clearing area around u.s. capitol building , erecting cluster of government office buildings here. included new united states supreme court building. in 1926, congress enacted public buildings act, provided land purchase , construction of federal triangle complex of government office buildings between national mall , pennsylvania avenue nw. half funding in act, however, provided construction of new supreme court building across 1st street ne u.s. capitol.

the site new court structure site of old capitol building. eminent domain proceedings began swiftly. in 1927, fearing nwp might lose headquarters, alva vanderbilt belmont, nwp s wealthy benefactor , co-founder, paid senator dale $100,000 in cash option purchase sewall house. condemnation proceedings went against party. although offered $100,000 property, nwp protested. in november 1928 national woman s party accepted award of $299,200 existing headquarters in old capitol prison.

belmont exercised option, , obtained title sewall house on may 21, 1929. party announced purchase of structure in september 1929.

renovations belmont house

the structure renamed alva belmont house during nwp s national convention, opened on december 6, 1929. renovations structure began in august 1929. unclear if columbus, ohio, architect florence kenyon hayden rector or local d.c. decorator madeleine mccandless designed , implemented changes, historic american buildings survey concludes mccandless oversaw improvements. these included new window , door in first floor on east side, double doors in west side, new window on second floor on east side, new bathroom on second floor, , new window on second floor on west side. these renovations cost $30,000. additionally, nwp purchased 2 additions site @ total cost of $19,000 $20,000. when old capitol demolished, women nwp showed wheelbarrows rescue bricks structure, used pave patio in belmont house garden. bronze plaque affixed exterior of house after renovations complete in december 1930, marking official dedication of alva belmont house. renovations converted private residence multipurpose living , working space nwp s leader , main strategist, alice paul, , others lived , worked.

in 1955, u.s. senate considered legislation permit condemnation of belmont house underground security vaults constructed there part of construction of dirksen senate office building. plan met stiff opposition local residents , capitol hill restoration society. battle on legislation continued 1958.

in 1960, congress enacted legislation exempting sewall-belmont house property taxation.

in 1965, senator stephen m. young introduced legislation in congress purchase sewall-belmont house , turn residence vice president of united states. hearings held on bill in 1966, provided $450,000 purchase of structure , property , $200,000 renovations , additions. opponents argued house not large enough , not remote enough capitol provide privacy, , bill died.

demolition threat

sewall-belmont house, hart senate office building behind it.

in 1966, senate began deliberations led construction of hart senate office building. dirksen senate office building occupied western half of block bounded 1st street ne, constitution avenue ne, 2nd street ne, , c street ne. architect of capitol , senators sought condemn entire eastern half of block. belmont-paul house sat on southeast corner of area. stand-alone legislation authorizing condemnation of buildings on site exempted belmont-paul (then sewall-belmont) house demolition, not 2 adjacent buildings used apartments members when visiting washington on many decades organize , lobby on behalf of aspects of women s equality. architects wanted land entrance planned underground parking garage. legislation cleared senate committee on public works in october 1967. full senate approved bill on april 30, 1968.

the house committee on public works approved bill on may 22, 1968. full house of representatives balked @ passing bill. architectural historian l. morris leisenring had studied belmont-paul house architect of capitol, , concluded 2 adjacent structures had once been slave quarters , tobacco barn, , warranted preservation. leisenring had overseen restoration of arlington house, robert e. lee memorial, , opinion persuaded many house members entire nwp complex should saved. other historians disputed leisenring s conclusions. opponents of bill angered cost of senate building , actions taken senate year. house refused act on bill, , died when 90th congress ended on january 3, 1969.

changes architectural design of building moved parking garage entrance northern side of proposed structure, left government seeking condemn nwp s 2 outbuildings use greenspace. overcome house resistance authorization legislation, senate attached language authorizing land condemnation bill had passed house. during conference committee meetings, house members unable have offending amendment removed bill. passed house , senate, , became law.

post-1970s renovations

in 1974, congress voted provide national woman s party $300,000 in historic preservation funds renovate , maintain house. legislation authorized national park service conduct tours of site. major budget cuts enacted following year jeopardized these funds, , historic american building survey has concluded never occurred.

in 1984, congress enacted legislation once more gave nwp historic preservation funding house.

the sewall-belmont house continued used headquarters national woman s party 21st century. on time, house became museum housed archive, memorabilia, documents, furniture, , artwork related women s suffrage , equal rights movement. maintaining structure proved increasingly costly, organization began renting sewall-belmont house meeting center , wedding site. @ peak in 2007, weddings brought in more $100,000 museum. discovery of mold in florence bayard hilles research library in 2014 forced museum spend $75,000 remove it. pay repair, museum placed 2 of 3 staff people on half-time. in january , february 2016, heavy snowfall damaged copper gutters @ house, forcing museum cancel of women s history month programming pay repairs.

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