The Grimke Building — Terrazzo Restoration and Installation
Rose Restoration restored and installed terrazzo at the Grimke Building at 1923 Vermont Avenue NW, completed in August 2021 with general contractor Kinsley Construction, as the historic Shaw school building was reborn as a cultural and residential anchor. Existing terrazzo was restored and new terrazzo installed so the floors read as one, and Rose returned to the building in 2026 for further work.
Related Rose Restoration historic terrazzo projects
Rose Restoration has delivered Grimke Building terrazzo restoration and related services for:
- Watergate East — Landmark terrazzo
- Smithsonian Institution — Historic terrazzo
- Old Post Office — Landmark conversion
- Terrazzo restoration — Full terrazzo services
- Historic restoration — Landmark methods
- All case studies — Project portfolio
The Grimke Building — Quick Answers
What did Rose Restoration do at the Grimke Building?
Working with general contractor Kinsley Construction, Rose Restoration restored the Grimke Building's existing terrazzo and installed new terrazzo through the renovation that made the former school a cultural and residential anchor of Shaw. The work was completed in August 2021, and Rose returned to the building in 2026 for further work.
Can existing terrazzo be restored and matched with new terrazzo?
Yes. On a renovation, restoring the existing terrazzo and installing new terrazzo alongside it keeps the floor consistent without replacing everything. Restoration repairs damage, hones the floor and seals it, and the new terrazzo is finished to sit alongside the restored areas.
Who restores historic terrazzo in Washington DC?
Rose Restoration has restored and installed terrazzo at the Grimke Building, Watergate East, the Smithsonian, and institutional buildings across the region, in business since 1978 with in-house crews trained on both cementitious and epoxy terrazzo. See our terrazzo services.
The Grimke Building at 1923 Vermont Avenue NW is a Washington landmark twice over: one of the city’s historic school buildings, reborn as a cultural and residential anchor of the Shaw neighborhood. When the building’s renovation reached its floors, general contractor Kinsley Construction brought Rose Restoration in for the terrazzo scope, completed in August 2021.
Project type: Historic building renovation | Material: Terrazzo, restored and newly installed | Location: Shaw, Washington, DC | Completed: August 2021 | General contractor: Kinsley Construction
Terrazzo, Restored and Installed Through a Landmark Renovation
The Grimke renovation needed both halves of the craft: restoring the building’s existing terrazzo and installing new terrazzo so old and new read as one floor. Replacing everything was never the plan. Making the restored and the new work together was the job.
The Work
Rose crews restored the existing terrazzo, repairing damage and honing and sealing the floors, and installed new terrazzo finished to sit alongside the restored areas. The work was sequenced within Kinsley’s renovation schedule alongside the building’s other trades. Rose was back in the building in 2026 for further work.
Why It Matters
Terrazzo restoration and installation are among Rose’s defining crafts, the same discipline we carry at the Smithsonian, the National Gallery of Art, and the region’s landmark buildings.
Have Historic Terrazzo Worth Saving?
Call (703) 327-7676 or request a consultation. See our terrazzo restoration and historic restoration services, or the full case studies collection.
