Who Is the Billionaire Who Just Bought the Most Expensive Mansion in Washington's History for $28 Million, Built in 1787, with 2,787 Square Meters, 12 Bedrooms, 22 Bathrooms, Historic Gardens, a View of the Potomac River, and a Key Role in the Political Formation of the American Capital

Who Is the Billionaire Who Just Bought the Most Expensive Mansion in Washington’s History for $28 Million, Built in 1787, with 2,787 Square Meters, 12 Bedrooms, 22 Bathrooms, Historic Gardens, a View of the Potomac River, and a Key Role in the Political Formation of the American Capital

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 26/01/2026 at 09:16

Updated on 26/01/2026 at 09:21

Imagem: Wikimedea Commons / ajay_suresh

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The Off-Market Purchase of Halcyon House in Georgetown Surpasses the Previous Record of US$ 25 Million, Repositions the Top of the Residential Market in Washington, and Reinforces the Historical Weight of High-End Properties

The most historic mansion in Washington, D.C., set a real estate record by being purchased for US$ 28 million by billionaire investor Josh Harris, owner of the Washington Commanders, becoming the most expensive house ever sold in the U.S. capital in an off-market transaction.

Record Transaction Redefines the Residential Market of the Capital

The purchase was revealed by the Wall Street Journal and surpassed the city’s previous record, set in 2024, when Bret Baier sold his castle-inspired residence for US$ 25 million.

The transaction consolidates Halcyon House as the largest residential sale ever recorded in Washington, D.C., expanding the historical gap between high-end properties traded in the federal capital.

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The Mansion is a 1787 Construction Linked to the Beginning of the American Government

Halcyon House was built in 1787 for Benjamin Stoddert, the first Secretary of the Navy of the United States, and retains characteristics of the federal style.

Over the years, the residence has undergone renovations estimated at US$ 12 million, focusing on restoring elements from the 19th century, including the exposed brick façade.

The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and occupies a half-acre lot with a direct view of the Potomac River.

With 2,787 square meters, the property features 12 bedrooms, 22 bathrooms, a pool, and gardens designed by Pierre L’Enfant, who was responsible for Washington’s urban layout.

Illustrious Residents and Recent Institutional Use

The mansion has hosted figures such as Albert Clemens, a nephew of Mark Twain, and architect Edmund Dreyfuss, who later left the property to his son John Dreyfuss.

In 2011, philanthropist Sachiko Kunō acquired the house for 11 million dollars, transforming it into the headquarters of Halcyon.

The nonprofit organization focuses on funding startups aimed at climate technology, health, and equity, utilizing the mansion as an institutional space.

House, Mansion, Most Expensive House — Image: Wikimedia Commons / APK

Plans of the New Owner Family of the Mansion

Josh Harris and his wife, Marjorie Harris, intend to convert the 239-year-old building into a single-family residence, preserving its historical relevance.

The investor has already conducted a similar operation in 2017, when he purchased the Dommerich Mansion in New York for US$ 52 million, reverting its institutional use.

Currently, the couple’s primary residence remains in Miami, Florida, where records indicate ownership of a house in the North Bay Road neighborhood, reinforcing a high-value real estate portfolio and a discreet profile, despite the symbolic impact of this historic acquisition.

With information from Architectural Digest.

Who Is the Billionaire Who Just Bought the Most Expensive Mansion in Washington’s History for $28 Million, Built in 1787, with 2,787 Square Meters, 12 Bedrooms, 22 Bathrooms, Historic Gardens, a View of the Potomac River, and a Key Role in the Political Formation of the American Capital

The Off-Market Purchase of Halcyon House in Georgetown Surpasses the Previous Record of US$ 25 Million, Repositions the Top of the Residential Market in Washington, and Reinforces the Historical Weight of High-End Properties

Record Transaction Redefines the Residential Market of the Capital

The Mansion is a 1787 Construction Linked to the Beginning of the American Government

Illustrious Residents and Recent Institutional Use

Plans of the New Owner Family of the Mansion

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Who Is the Billionaire Who Just Bought the Most Expensive Mansion in Washington’s History for $28 Million, Built in 1787, with 2,787 Square Meters, 12 Bedrooms, 22 Bathrooms, Historic Gardens, a View of the Potomac River, and a Key Role in the Political Formation of the American Capital

The Off-Market Purchase of Halcyon House in Georgetown Surpasses the Previous Record of US$ 25 Million, Repositions the Top of the Residential Market in Washington, and Reinforces the Historical Weight of High-End Properties

Record Transaction Redefines the Residential Market of the Capital

The Mansion is a 1787 Construction Linked to the Beginning of the American Government

Illustrious Residents and Recent Institutional Use

Plans of the New Owner Family of the Mansion

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

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