This Historic Church Condo for Sale Hides a Private 85-Foot Bell Tower Lounge

It’s easy to swoon over a modern-day home carved into an historic former church. Think stained-glass windows, high ceilings and lots of charm.

A new listing in Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Hill neighborhood has all that—plus another amenity that catapults it to the next level.

“Through my research, I believe this is the only residence in Washington, DC, with a true private bell tower incorporated into the home itself,” says listing agent Shane Byrne of Byrne Real Estate, about the Bell Tower Penthouse within The Sanctuary.

The asking price is $1,667,000. Back in 2016, the former 1897 Gothic Revival church—the former home of Ninth Street Christian Church, designed by Lawerence B. Valk and Son—was converted to condominiums by Bonstra | Haresign Architects.

It includes this 2,019-square-foot unit which has two bedrooms and 2.5 baths. “

My client bought this two years ago as a pied-à-terre,” says Byrne. “She is the second owner.”

“A private interior staircase leads into the church’s bell tower, which rises 85 feet and offers panoramic views that include both the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument,” says Byrne.

“At the top, the bell tower has been transformed into a private lounge, offering panoramic, 360-degree views above the surrounding rooftops.”

One could easily host parties and social events in that lounge, with the modernized kitchen—stocked with a six-burner Wolf range and Sub-Zero refrigeration, an island and white cabinetry—as another unique gathering space.

Just like the kitchen, each of the baths has been updated, with white-marble finishes and luxury features like a double vanity, soaking tub glass-enclosed shower. Hardwood flooring and exposed brick are throughout the unit, too.

Another stylish perk is a 15-foot stained-glass window in the dining room, “featuring Alpha and Omega flanking a cross, framed by ceilings reaching approximately 33 feet,” explains Byrne, and two stained-glass windows in the primary bedroom.

In addition to the marvel of waking up every day in a former church, where many of its historical architectural elements (such as restored stained-glass windows) remain intact, this condo has the proud distinction of being a former choir loft.

On-site parking is also included. “Two parking spaces are an extremely rare find on Capitol Hill,” says Byrne.

This condo is within a neighborhood that’s long been desirable for homebuyers.

“Capitol Hill offers a combination of historic architecture, neighborhood character, and proximity to the institutions that define Washington,” says Byrne. “Eastern Market, neighborhood restaurants, parks, and tree-lined streets give it an appeal that extends well beyond its proximity to the Capitol.”

But it’s the unit itself that will likely draw someone to make an offer.

“I see the buyer as someone who approaches real estate the way a collector approaches art: they want something distinctive that cannot simply be recreated in another building,” says Byrne. “This home will resonate with someone who values architecture, history, and the experience of owning a piece of Washington that few people even realize exists.”

In fact, as the listing states, this is “a collector’s residence.”