Historic church converted into airy coliving space

Common, the coliving company that’s rapidly expanding its footprint across the U.S., recently opened its newest location in Washington D.C. Though nearly half of Common’s projects are ground-up construction, Common Monroe takes an entirely different approach by repurposing a historic church into shared living spaces.

Located in D.C.’s Columbia Heights neighborhood, Common’s fourth location in the city has all of the same amenities that have propelled the concept of coliving into the mainstream. The residence centers around shared common space with individual bedrooms for renters. All utilities, cleaning services, and “household essentials” are included in the rent, which starts at $1,585.

Seth Caplan for Common

But what’s really different about Common Monroe is its architecture. The building once served as a neighborhood church, and many of the building’s original features remain, including vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, wooden beams, and recesses.

The interior spaces are fully renovated with fresh white walls and on-trend decor, with everything from a giant fiddle leaf fig tree to touches of wicker and velvet. Common might very well be designing “adult dorms” for a new generation of renters, but at the very least, the spaces will be well decorated.

Seth Caplan for Common

Seth Caplan for Common

Seth Caplan for Common

Seth Caplan for Common