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Welcome to the Vault: Our Resident Speakeasy

Wide view of The Vault speakeasy’s main lounge, featuring the original barrel-vaulted skylight, red velvet seating, and gray swivel chairs arranged under warm ambient lighting.

Storied and Refined

Welcome to your new secluded haven at The Vault—our exclusive on-site, resident-only speakeasy at Annex on 12th. This unique space retains an especially striking feature from the original Cotton Annex building: a stunning as-built, ceiling-spanning, unaltered skylight that was once used to inspect cotton. Why is it called The Vault? It's also named after a presidential seal discovered on a door in the building.

"The skylight on the sixth floor is a significant piece of the architecture because it was designed specifically for the inspection of cotton," notes Kim Daileader, the director of technical preservation services at EHT Traceries, a historic preservation firm that consulted with developers on the redevelopment of the Cotton Annex from its former life as a USDA (US Department of Agriculture) building into a unique new collection of luxury apartments and penthouses. "There are also windows on the fifth floor where the cotton laboratories used to be, which was also an intentional design feature.... [they] really went with what we call contemporary but compatible, taking design keys and elements from the historic building and incorporating them in a compatible, contemporary way on the new construction."

Anchoring the main lounge is the original barrel-vaulted, black-steel framed skylight—an architectural relic from 1936—restored to crown the space with dramatic natural light. It spans nearly the full length of the room, flooding the space with natural light. Below, deep red velvet banquettes and soft gray swivel chairs surround sleek brass-trimmed tables. Built-in wood shelving lines the room with curated art books and sculptural objects, illuminated by warm accent lighting.

A preserved vault door at one end reinforces the room’s speakeasy identity, while the opposite side reveals a cozy bar framed by dark oak cabinetry and plush seating. Around the corner, a separate lounge with herringbone walls and low lighting offers a billiards / pool table.

Luxe Amenites at Annex

Annex on 12th brings new energy and vision to Southwest DC, offering apartment residents immediate access to the National Mall, The Wharf, and seamless transit options. From historical details like The Vault to inspired new highlights like the rootfop infinity pool, thoughtful design balances modern luxury with nods to the building’s past.

Please give us a call or pay us a visit to learn more or explore our move-in specials. Walk-ins welcome.

Cozy billiards room within The Vault, showcasing a wood pool table, herringbone-patterned walls, and modern lounge seating with soft lighting.