Hecht Company Warehouse

The Hecht Company Warehouse is a storage building with glass block facades and a twelve-pointed star cupola that marks the Ivy City skyline. The structure displays Streamline Moderne design with flowing lines and curved corners from the 1930s era.

The building opened in 1937 as a central warehouse for The Hecht Company department stores and had three railroad track platforms for freight handling. This rail setup reveals the scale of the company's distribution network at that time.

The smooth curves and glass block patterns on the facade show how commerce buildings were designed during the Depression era. Walking around the building, you notice how these features made warehouses into something more refined than purely functional structures.

The building has been converted into a residential and commercial complex with apartments, shops, and modern features while keeping its original architecture intact. Visitors can view the glass block facade and cupola from outside without needing special access to the property.

Black brick patterns combined with glass blocks spell out 'The Hecht Co' on the fifth floor, a detail many passersby overlook entirely. This signage approach was a refined way to mark the building without using conventional advertising.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1937

Architectural style: Streamline Moderne

GPS coordinates: 38.91444,-76.98500

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:06