Washington, DC’s most historic mansion has broken a city record. Billionaire investor Josh Harris, owner of the Washington Commanders NFL team, has purchased the Halcyon House for $28 million, according to the Wall Street Journal, making it the most expensive home ever sold in Washington DC. The off-market deal marks the highest real estate sale in the nation’s capital, reportedly surpassing a previous record set when Fox News anchor Bret Baier sold his Château-inspired estate for $25 million in 2024.
Halcyon House—located in Georgetown, one of the city’s ritziest neighborhoods—was originally built in 1787 for Benjamin Stoddert, the United States’s first Secretary of the Navy. Over the decades, the Federal-style dwelling has undergone roughly $12 million worth of renovations to restore its original 19th-century charm, including the revival of its exposed brick exterior. The storied abode, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, sits on a half-acre parcel overlooking the Potomac River and boasts 12 bedrooms, 22 bathrooms, a pool, and Pierre L’Enfant-designed gardens.
The 30,000-square-foot property has housed numerous notable individuals over the centuries, including Albert Clemens, the nephew of author Mark Twain, and architect Edmund Dreyfuss, who eventually passed the home down to his son, sculptor John Dreyfuss. Philanthropist Dr. Sachiko Kunō bought the mansion for $11 million in 2011 to serve as the headquarters for Halcyon, a nonprofit organization that helps to fund early-stage businesses across climate, health, and equity technology.
Harris and his wife, Marjorie Harris, are said to have big plans for the Halcyon House: returning the 239-year-old building to a single-family home while preserving its historical significance. This isn’t Harris’s first time repurposing historic buildings. In 2017, the private equity investor bought New York’s Dommerich Mansion for $52 million, converting the townhouse from a cosmetic surgery outpatient facility back to a single-family residence. For now, the Harrises’ primary residence continues to be in Miami, Florida, where property records indicate they own a home in the affluent enclave of North Bay Road.
