In 1935, when Harry Truman rented a 2-bedroom apartment at the Kennedy-Warren, his rent was an outrageous $150 per month. Today, there is one available for a montly rent of $7,500. 
This Art Deco landmark is located at 3133 Connecticut Avenue NW, sitting on about four city blocks between Klingle Valley and the National Zoo.
Architect Joseph Younger designed the building for Edgar Kennedy and Monroe Warren, and soon after it opened in 1931, the Depression caught up with them. At that time – and since then – the Kennedy Warren has been a bank owned property. And B.F. Saul, the local lender that took it over when Kennedy and Warren bellied up, completed the building according to Younger’s original plan (the plans turned up after being lost for decades). They started the project in 2002 and finished it three years later.
What amazes me about the Kennedy Warren is that the new section has perfectly duplicated the architectural detail.
If the Kennedy Warren ever goes condo, and if I can live there with Willie the hyperactive Labradoodle puppy, I will be the first in line to buy a place there – after all, my name’s on the building marquis!
Oh! and here is Joseph Younger's original drawing, which is now, after more than seven decades, a reality!
Pat, this is an awesome building. Wonder if you could get royalties off of it.
Pat, I can't imagine renting ANYTHING for $7,500 a month. Cash to burn or government subsidy? Wow. Great looking building.
Pat - Sounds nice - I'll move in next door - after all my name's on the building too :)
Danny, now that would be really cool!
Gary, in 1931, Harry Truman's rent was at least as outrageous!
And Mary, and having you for a next door neighbor would be pretty cool! Maybe we could fiil the place up with bloggers!
Cool building how many units in it? Looks like a small or medium sized city.
Pat - It would be neat if you had office space in that building with your name.
Let's go back to 1935 prices but keep all of the amenities that we enjoy today, $150 a month for rent and that was the high rent district too.
Pat - Thanks for this historical tour, I am sure this comes to mind readily because your name is on it. I agree with Don lets get the prices of the 30's.
Patricia....I'm see this wish coming true...you and the Labradoodle puppy! You'll be rich and famous by then! You already are in the blogging world!
Hi Pat,
I always assumed you were one of the Kennedys, you are aren't you?
Pat, I love that part of DC. I think those buildings have such great stories to tell. Think of all the folks over time. Thanks for telling us about it.
Pat,
Interesting history lesson. Truman seems to have lived lots of places. I saw his estate in Florida too. That was cool.
Thanks for the great pictures. After having worked in DC in my younger years and then moving to the mountains, it is nice to remember some of the nice architecture that exists in the city. 8>)
What a very cool building, but I cannot imagine paying that much in rent! Wow!
That is one of the things that makes DC so special, all of that awesome history!!!!!!!!!!
I live at the Kennedy Warren. I can tell you that no one in the original ("Historic" ) wing pays $7,500 for an apartment! The building is beautiful, but there are many problems. Google it if you want to see some of the recent problems tenants in the rent-controlled historic wing are having. Dream on.