Historic Maryland Mansion With Intriguing Ties to U.S. Capitol Hits the Market for $3 Million

Just 7 miles north of Washington, DC, a resplendent mansion is providing homebuyers with the chance to own a piece of political history—offering both a taste of European elegance and a close tie to the U.S. Capitol Building.

With Italian marble accents, decorative moldings, and ornamental plaster, the historic residence looks like it was air-dropped from Italy onto its elegantly manicured parcel in Chevy Chase, MD.

Designed and built by Constantino Lozupone in 1925, the dwelling has now been put on the market for $3 million—marking the first time it has been listed in more than 30 years, and one of only a handful of times it has ever been made available for purchase.

Lozupone and his brothers, Stephano and Frank—all of whom built their own homes in the Italian Renaissance Revival style on the same block—were the first people to use the opulent abode, gathering their families together for dinner in the ornate dining room.

But while the Lozupone siblings focused their residential efforts on Chevy Chase, they were perhaps best known for their work on the ornamental plaster artistry found in two major DC landmarks: Union Station and the U.S. Capitol Building.

Though perhaps not quite so ornate, the Lozupone residence at 7200 Connecticut Ave—which has been listed by Kate Foster-Bankey and Maya Hyman of Compass—boasts several exceptional examples of the family’s plaster work.

“We believe it to be in relatively original condition,” says Foster-Bankey. “There’s still the inlaid marble floors, marble columns, and the plaster work.”

While some of the original opulence has worn away—including the gold leaf that once bedecked the dining room ceiling—the original plaster remains, as do original wood-laid floors throughout the home.

For the last 30 years it’s had the same owner, and the previous owner had the home for around that same time. Whoever moves in will only be the fifth or sixth person to steward this beautiful home, which has been used as a single-family residence throughout its 100-year history.

With four bedrooms and five baths, many original wow-worthy features are beautifully intact.

Even with modern renovations by the seller, including a two-story addition at the rear of the property that functions as a family room and guest suite, entering the home is like stepping back into the 1920s.

“If you looked at the rear of the house, it’s very difficult to even tell that it was an addition,” says Foster-Bankey.

Another upgrade was made in the kitchen to add shiny and sleek Italian-style cabinetry. To repair a medallion in an upstairs bedroom, the seller turned to craftspeople skilled in plaster work.

The home’s porch was also enclosed during the renovations, turning it into an all-season space that can be enjoyed in any weather.

“Around the time she was doing the addition, she took what was an open porch and enclosed it,” says Foster-Bankey.

A feature that makes this mansion even grander is its courtyard fountain. The listing also includes a two-car garage.

However, what’s really going to draw a buyer, according to Foster-Bankey, is appreciation for the “craftsmanship and preservation of the original features.”

“It is very atypical to see a home as well preserved as this,” she explains. “Usually, the layout’s been changed and the finish has been changed. It feels like a home that has been taken over by a museum. That’s how beautifully preserved it feels.”

Location is also a compelling reason to buy this home.

“The town of Chevy Chase … has its own town government and it operates as its own separate small town,” says Foster-Bankey. “It’s right next to Washington, DC, with a small-town feel in the middle of a large metropolitan area.”

Except for a home tour several decades ago, the mansion has not been opened up to the public, making it incredibly alluring as a private space, despite boasting as much history as many of the buildings in the nation’s capital.

“We think the buyer is going to be someone who is not in the market but has driven by this house for years and said, ‘I really wouldn’t move unless this home comes on the market,’” says Foster-Bankey. “If you talk to people in the local area, everybody knows these houses. They’re iconic.”