Leon E. Dessez

Leon Emil Dessez (April 12, 1858 – December 25, 1918) was an American architect in Washington, D.C. He designed public buildings in the District of Columbia, and residences there and in Maryland, and Virginia, and the Normal School for Colored Girls, designed with Snowden Ashford.

Early life Dessez was born in Washington, D.C., on April 12, 1858.

Career Dessez began his career employed under Colonel Thomas Lincoln Casey on plans for the Washington Monument and spent three years as an architectural and engineering draftsman in the Navy Yard at Washington. He and Lindley Johnson of Philadelphia designed the first four houses in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Dessez became its first resident.

Dessez was elected to the American Institute of Architects as a fellow in 1896.

Other works

G.E. Hamilton Residence 628 E. Capitol St. NE (1885) Official residence for the vice president at the Naval Observatory, 926 F Street Northwest, a three-story brick building for law firm Wold and Cohen. Gallinger Hospital The Stoddert (1899), 2900 Q Street NW; Apartment building in Georgetown House ("residence") for E.J. Stellwagen (1899 plans), Baltimore (i.e., Biltmore) Street and Columbia Road (lot 2, block 2), N.W., Cliffbourne, Washington, D.C. Corby Mansion (C. 1893) 9 Chevy Chase Circle, was Senator Francis G. Newlands house from 1893 to 1898, remodeled in 1911 St. James Episcopal Church 1891–1897 14 Cornwall St, Leesburg, Virginia, later additions were added (1931?) Kappa House (1908) 1708 S Street, NW. Originally a residence, it became the Washington DC Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity since June 4, 1949. Georgian architecture style Garfield Memorial Hospital, replaced by Washington Hospital Center Powell Junior High School (1910) demolished Fairmont Field Club (1912) Destroyed by fire 2008