Watergate Hotel

Owner: Euro Capital Properties | Services: Project Management, Cost Estimating, Claims Analysis, & Tax Credit Analysis

In 2008, this 1960s avant-garde, modernist building designed by Luigi Moretti, once a host to movie stars, heads of state, and royalty, and famously linked to Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal, was vacant and facing demolition. Euro Capital Properties, a New York real estate company, purchased the property and enlisted London-based Israeli designer Ron Arad to lead its restoration, aiming to revive the hotel’s former glory and 1960s glamour. As a result, the hotel, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, underwent a $125 million renovation, transforming it back into a Washington D.C. destination.

The 277,000-square-foot renovation involved a complete interior demolition and rebuild, focusing on creating a fun, energetic urban retreat. Key design features included a new 7,000-square-foot grand ballroom with 17-foot ceilings, 348 guest rooms, three new elevators, and an additional fire escape stairwell. The hotel also introduced a luxury spa with treatment rooms, steam rooms, and an indoor swimming pool. Six new terraces were added, including a repurposed rooftop terrace and bar offering 360-degree views of the D.C. monuments and the Potomac River.

Axias played a pivotal role in the project, representing the owner and providing a comprehensive range of services. During the design phase, we provided on-site development management, constructability review, cost estimating, and procurement consulting. As the project moved into the construction phase, we managed contractor selection, supported change order review and settlement, and oversaw monthly payment processing and closeout. We also provided guidance on structural and historic restoration issues, approvals and related property tax credit processing, regulatory compliance, negotiations with neighboring landowners, and all legal and insurance issues arising from a partial slab collapse during construction.