Yale Steam Laundry, Industrial heritage site in Mount Vernon Square, Washington D.C.
Yale Steam Laundry is an industrial complex comprising three connected structures near Mount Vernon Square. The buildings feature expansive windows, limestone facades, and red brick walls dating from the early 1900s.
The laundry was established in 1885 and operated through 1976, employing thousands of workers during its peak years. It served as one of Washington's major commercial laundry operations throughout that period.
The building represents early 20th-century industrial architecture with Neo-Renaissance and Colonial Revival elements designed by architects Thomas Francis Jr. and Alfred B. Mullett.
The site is located on New York Avenue Northwest and is now open to the public as a residential condominium complex. The 2008 renovation by architect John Ronan preserved original features while adapting the space for contemporary living.
The facility used a vertical operational system where laundry moved upward through different processing stages. This efficient design allowed the operation to handle large quantities of items daily and was innovative for its era.
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