Exclusive: Former federal building near National Mall becomes apartments

• That includes Annex on 12th, a new apartment complex opening just steps from the National Museum of Asian Art and the Hirshhorn.

Meanwhile, Mayor Muriel Bowser is implementing a $400 million vision for transforming downtown, which aims to increase its population and make it more of a cultural and entertainment destination.

• The first major downtown office-to-residential conversion, the Elle, housed in a former Peace Corps building, opened earlier this summer.

State of play: Annex on 12th is partially located in a structure that once housed the Department of Agriculture's Cotton Annex, where cotton and tobacco were brought into labs for inspection, per a release shared with Axios.

• Originally built in 1936, the building has been restored with original elements like the facade and Art Deco architecture. And some of its 562 units contain large historic windows and original '30s hardware.

Also inside: A speakeasy for residents called The Vault, named after a presidential seal discovered on a door in the building, with an original skylight once used to dry tobacco.

What's ahead: The building is currently pre-leasing units, with move-ins scheduled for December. Studios start at $1,927.