Tall Stories 482: The Watergate Complex, Washington

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Urbanist – Tall Stories 482: The Watergate Complex, Washington

Date: October 27, 2025
Host: Andrew Tuck
Episode Reporter: Charlotte McDonald Gibson
Guest: Keith Crom, Watergate Resident & Museum Advocate

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Overview

This episode of The Urbanist’s Tall Stories investigates the modern legacy of Washington D.C.’s Watergate complex—world-renowned for its political scandal, but lesser-known for its groundbreaking architecture and urbanism. Charlotte McDonald Gibson explores whether a building synonymous with wrongdoing can recapture its reputation as a pioneer in city living and architectural innovation. Attorney and resident Keith Crom shares his vision to celebrate Watergate through a new museum while highlighting the enduring fascination with this iconic site.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reframing Watergate’s Identity

• Scandal to Urban Icon: Although the term “Watergate” conjures political infamy, the complex itself is largely overlooked as an architectural and urban development milestone ([01:27]).
  • Quote: “Watergate does not refer to a building but a complex of three residential buildings, two office blocks, a luxury hotel and a retail space.” – Narrator ([01:57])
• Original Appeal: In 1972, Watergate was coveted for its river views, proximity to power, and self-contained urban lifestyle.

2. Pioneering Urban Development

• First of Its Kind: Watergate was among Washington D.C.’s earliest planned urban developments, drawing downtown residents decades before it was trendy ([02:42]).
  • Quote: “People could live here, get everything they need, and not have to worry about really going beyond the Foggy Bottom area…This was a way to draw people downtown, but also show those people that you’ll have all the conveniences you’re used to right at your fingertips.” – Keith Crom ([02:42])

3. Architectural Innovation

• Luigi Moretti’s Vision: Designed by Italian architect Moretti, the complex features distinctive curved facades and balcony designs, a radical departure from D.C.’s federal style ([03:41]).
  • Quote: “People had the idea of, you have to have federal style buildings here. Why are you doing this thing with curves and, you know, these balconies that look like— I think Bob Woodward described it as Tyrannosaurus rex teeth.” – Keith Crom ([04:12])

4. Intertwining with History: The Watergate Scandal

• Site of a National Scandal: The 1972 break-in by Nixon’s reelection committee led to the president’s resignation and a new vocabulary of scandals-with-suffixes ([04:26]).
• Key Residents: Martha Mitchell, a notable whistleblower in the scandal, lived at Watergate.
• Lasting Fascination: The burglary, cover-up, and resignations are still points of public intrigue ([06:02]).

5. Revitalization through Heritage: Vision for a Watergate Museum

• Mission: Crom is spearheading efforts to establish a Watergate museum, not just to chronicle the scandal but to honor the complex’s architectural and historical significance ([03:05], [05:06]).
• Contemporary Resonance: The timing is prescient, as questions of presidential accountability recur in US politics today ([05:06]).
  • Quote: “The resonance of opening a museum into presidential misconduct at this moment in history…is not lost on Crom.” – Narrator ([05:06])
• Current Initiatives: A foundation has begun a lecture series and pop-up exhibitions, such as Laurie Munn’s portraits of scandal participants ([05:30]).

6. Challenges and Hopes for the Future

• Physical State: While residential and office blocks are well-maintained, retail spaces face decay and high vacancy ([05:45]).
• A Living Landmark: Crom hopes the museum will revive public spaces and keep the Watergate’s story alive ([06:02]).
  • Quote: “You constantly see people…pointing out the different buildings and relating the story of what happened in this building in 1972. And there’s just this natural interest in the story still…a lot of people turn to me and say, who’s going to remember this? But…people in their early 20s, or maybe not even 20 yet, who are gawking at the buildings and talking about the scandal. And I think because of that, it really still resonates today.” – Keith Crom ([06:02])

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Notable Moments & Quotes

• On Urban Pioneering:

  “When it was conceived, it really was the first planned urban development in Washington, D.C. and it’s kind of funny that that’s almost commonplace today. That design has been mimicked and mimicked.”
  — Keith Crom ([03:27])

• On the Power of Place:

  “Living at the Watergate, you constantly see people on Virginia Avenue…relating the story of what happened in this building in 1972. And there’s just this natural interest in the story still.”
  — Keith Crom ([06:02])

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Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Description | |-----------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 00:49 | Introduction & Watergate Overview | Context of Watergate’s fame and scope | | 01:27 | Complex’s Urban History | Architectural context and legacy | | 02:42 | Keith Crom on Urban Innovation | Interview with resident and advocate | | 03:41 | Architect Luigi Moretti’s Influence | Architectural details and public reaction | | 04:26 | Scandal and its Aftermath | Watergate burglary and impact on the complex’s image | | 05:06 | Vision for a Museum | Crom’s museum concept and cultural relevance | | 06:02 | Resonance Today | Ongoing fascination and generational interest |

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Conclusion

This episode thoughtfully reframes the Watergate complex as a touchstone of modern urbanism and architectural vision, urging listeners to see beyond scandal. Resident Keith Crom’s campaign for a museum embodies a desire to revitalize history’s intersection with the built environment, ensuring Watergate’s full story persists for future generations.

Transcript

[IPUT Real Estate Narrator]

I Put Real Estate is Dublin's leading property investment company for almost 60 years a custodian of the city embracing excellence in design, sustainability and occupier experience. More than that I Put understands that real change means transforming how valuable, vibrant and loved a neighborhood is. Discover how they build and invest. Head to I put.com now and and learn about their passion for their projects and their unique presence in Dublin. I Put Creator of Exceptional Places Custodian of the City.

[Andrew Tuck]

One of the best known buildings in Washington, D.C. got its enduring fame from a scandal which rocked the American political world and led to the resignation of a sitting president. But how does an urban development move on from a scandal which bears its same name? And can it capitalize on the events that took place within its walls? You're listening to Tall Stories, a Monocle production brought to you by the team behind the Urbanist. I'm Andrew Tuck. In this episode, Charlotte McDonald Gibson uncovers the modern story of the Watergate complex.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Washington, D.C. may lay claim to having one of the most famous buildings in the world, with the goings on at the white house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue making the news every day. But head about 10 blocks west until you hit the Potomac river and you will reach perhaps one of the world's most infamous buildings, the Watergate complex, where in 1972 an attempted break in at the offices of the Democratic National Committee set in motion two years of political intrigue that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974. Yet while the word Watergate is instantly recognisable and created a whole new lexicon of scandal with the millions of gates that followed, the building itself remains a relative unknown outside the confines of Washington, dc. In fact, Watergate does not refer to a building or but a complex of three residential buildings, two office blocks, a luxury hotel and a retail space. At the time of the 1972 break in, it was one of the most sought after addresses in D.C. with its sweeping views of the Potomac river, its proximity to the corridors of power, and its innovations in modern living attracting the great and the good of the nation's capital.

[Keith Crom]

People could live here, get everything they need, and not have to worry about really going beyond the Foggy Bottom area that's commonplace today. People almost say, well, that's a no brainer. Back then it was huge because Most people in D.C. were living in the suburbs. They weren't living downtown. So this was a way to draw people downtown, but also show those people that you'll have all the conveniences you're used to Right at your fingertips.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

I spoke to Keith Crom, an attorney who moved into the Watergate Complex in 2018. He wants to reclaim the building's place as a pioneer of modernist architecture and urban design and, and is in the process of fundraising for a Watergate museum, which will not only tell the story of the political scandal, but celebrate Watergate's architectural legacy as well.

[Keith Crom]

When it was conceived, it really was the first planned urban development in Washington D.C. and it's kind of funny that that's almost commonplace today. That design has been mimicked and mimicked.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

Watergate was designed by the Italian architect Luigi Moretti, who had risen to prominence designing buildings under the regime of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Moretti was briefly imprisoned after the fall of fascism, but revived his reputation as a pioneer of avant garde modernist architecture. So he seemed a natural fit for the Italian developers of the Watergate complex. Moretti came up with a design for a distinctive curved exterior with balconies sporting what looked like concrete teeth. And it was not to everyone's taste.

[Keith Crom]

It was the capital city and people had the idea of, you have to have federal style buildings here. Why are you doing this thing with curves and, you know, these balconies that look like, I think Bob Woodward described it as Tyrannosaurus rex teeth, you know.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

But despite the many misgivings, the building went ahead and was a great success, attracting residents like Martha Mitchell, the gregarious conservative socialite and wife of Nixon's Attorney General, John Mitchell, a woman who would eventually become a key Watergate whistleblower. It was around a decade after the Watergate complex was completed that the fateful break in happened, orchestrated by members of Nixon's re election committee who planned to tap the phones and try and dig up dirt on Nixon's political rivals. Nixon eventually resigned in 1974 after it emerged that he had ordered a cover up of the break in.

[Keith Crom]

Therefore, I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow.

[Narrator/Interviewer]

The resonance of opening a museum into presidential misconduct at this moment in history, as Donald Trump faces accusations of subverting the powers of the presidency, is not lost on Crom, and he hopes that any future museum will remind people of the importance of safeguards in place to ensure that presidents abide by the rule of law. His Watergate museum is still in the planning and fundraising phase, but already the foundation behind it has organised a series of lectures and last week opened a pop up exhibition in the retail space featuring 70 portraits of the key players in the Watergate scandal, rendered in pastels by the artist Laurie Munn. While the residential blocks, the office buildings and the hotel are in a good state of repair. The retail space has seen better days, with crumbling balconies and four lease signs above empty shops. Crom also hopes that any museum will draw people to the building and prompt a rejuvenation of the public spaces, helping keep this piece of US History alive for generations to come.

[Keith Crom]

Living at the Watergate, you constantly see people on Virginia Avenue who are walking with their families, their friends, pointing out the different buildings and relating the story of what happened in this building in 1972. And there's just this natural interest in the story still. The refreshing thing for me was seeing those people in the age groups. I mean, a lot of people turn to me and say, who's going to remember this? But it's people who are in their early 20s, or maybe not even 20 yet, who are gawking at the buildings and talking about the scandal. And I think because of that, it really still resonates today.

[Andrew Tuck]

Tall Stories is a Monocle production from the team behind the Urbanist. This episode was written by Charlotte MacDonald Gibson and produced and edited by David Stevens. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to receive new episodes every week. I'm Ajah Tuck. Goodbye and thank you for listening. City Lovers.

[IPUT Real Estate Narrator]

I put Real Estate is Dublin's leading property investment company. For almost six decades they've owned and developed the best workplaces in Ireland, setting standards and attracting global capital to the Irish market. As a gateway to Europe, Dublin is a global centre for investment. I put leads the market by delivering innovative design led workplaces and public spaces that enhance the occupier experience and neighbourhood life. Their ambition to set new benchmarks in workplace quality, attract leading businesses to Dublin, all while delivering strong, sustainable returns for their investors. Find out how they're building this Future. Head to IPUT.com now. I put creator of Exceptional Places, Custodian of the city.