Johns Hopkins sells second D.C. office building for $17.5 million to Big Ten school

Johns Hopkins University has sold the second of its three office buildings in Washington, D.C., to Indiana University for $17.5 million. The building, located at 1619 Massachusetts Avenue NW, was part of Johns Hopkins' campus in the District before the university consolidated its operations on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in 2023. The sale marks another significant step in Johns Hopkins’ ongoing efforts to streamline its D.C. presence.

Indiana University Foundation Inc. made the purchase at approximately $308 per square foot. According to deed records, the 56,773-square-foot building is expected to be transformed into a new campus space for the university. This building will house event, meeting, and academic spaces, as well as offices and dorm rooms for 35 to 40 Indiana University students. The project is designed by SmithGroup, as reported by The Business Journals.

Plans for the new campus
Indiana University’s new D.C. campus will occupy the eight-story, 1960s-era property, which will undergo significant renovations. The interior will be modernized with updated finishes, lighting, and fixtures, alongside upgrades to elevators and restrooms, as noted in public filings. The new campus is expected to cater to students studying in Washington, providing them with a unique living and learning environment.

The building, known as the Benjamin T. Rome Building, has an assessed value of $43.8 million in 2025, according to the D.C. tax office. It is one of three properties Johns Hopkins once owned in D.C. Before the sale to Indiana University, Johns Hopkins sold another building, 1740 Massachusetts Avenue, to the Republic of Poland for $20.1 million. That sale was completed in December 2023, and the Polish government plans to use the property for diplomatic purposes.

A changing landscape for Johns Hopkins in D.C.
In August 2023, Johns Hopkins relocated to its new D.C. headquarters at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, after purchasing the former Newseum building for $372.5 million and completing a $200 million renovation. This move opened the door for the sale of the remaining buildings in its D.C. portfolio, including the one sold to Indiana University.

The sale follows financial challenges for Johns Hopkins, as the university recently announced plans to lay off over 2,000 employees due to the termination of more than $800 million in foreign aid funding by the Trump administration. These layoffs are tied to programs largely connected to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), as reported by The Business Journals.