The Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in Washington, DC, opened in September 2025 after a renovation that the Milken Institute says lasted 12 years. The project brought historic bank and office buildings together as a five-building visitor experience, pairing the restoration of prominent interiors with new circulation, building systems and structural work.
What buildings were brought together?
The project sits near the White House and grew from a plan to connect three adjacent properties: the former Riggs National Bank at 1503–1505 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, the former American Security and Trust Company at 1501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and an office building at 730 15th Street NW. The Federal Commission of Fine Arts’ 2017 concept review described a museum, conference center and office functions, linked by an atrium proposed for a former alley.
Those were design-stage plans, not a final description of how visitors experience the completed Center. The Milken Institute’s September 2025 opening announcement says its galleries and immersive exhibits span five buildings and a new atrium. The records trace how the project’s connective idea developed; they should not be read as saying the finished Center consists of only the three properties named in the concept review. Federal Commission of Fine Arts project records; Milken Institute opening announcement.
What was restored at the Milken Center?
Historic bank interiors
The Milken Institute reports that much of the historic interior floors, walls and ceilings in the bank halls was restored. At 1501 Pennsylvania Avenue, the coffered ceiling features ornamental plaster rosettes and vibrant colors. In the former Riggs Bank Hall of Generations, a 190-panel skylight was restored and uncovered for the first time since World War II.
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Decorative plaster, painting and gilding
EverGreene Architectural Arts describes investigating original decorative finishes to guide the restoration of plasterwork, painting and gilding. Its project sheet reports more than 100 ornamental rosettes. EverGreene names Grunley Construction Company as contractor and Shalom Baranes Associates as architect; these project details are reported by the restoration specialist. EverGreene’s project account.
How did the renovation accommodate modern use?
Restoring a historic shell was only part of the work. Contractor DAVIS describes a 96,000-square-foot renovation that added or upgraded mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, elevators and egress stairs, while also restoring the existing stone and masonry facade. These are contractor-reported project details, not an independent assessment of performance. DAVIS project account.
The Commission of Fine Arts’ 2020 final review summary commended the team’s care and stewardship in connecting the two historic bank buildings with the adjacent historic office building. It also notes that rooftop mechanical equipment was replaced with an addition designed in relation to the historic copper-clad roof structures. The review documents the design response, rather than measuring the finished systems’ operating results. Commission of Fine Arts records.
What structural work did the historic complex require?
According to DAVIS, the work included infilling a courtyard and rebuilding upper floors to align with an adjacent building. Construction encountered undocumented framing and an uncharted foundation layout. The contractor says the team installed micropiles to reinforce the foundation and support new structural loads.
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A 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers conference chapter’s abstract also describes a deepened basement, two added levels and micropile underpinning to support the existing structure during excavation and construction. The chapter supports the broad outline of the underpinning work; its abstract does not establish further technical specifics. ASCE conference chapter.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to understand the project’s approach
The documented work shows four linked demands of adapting this complex: retaining and restoring historic finishes; creating new connections and circulation; installing contemporary building systems and safe egress; and managing structural changes around existing buildings and concealed conditions. The sources describe the work from the perspectives of the owner, contractor, preservation specialist and engineering publication. They do not provide comparable project-cost data or an independent evaluation of the restoration’s outcomes.
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