Old Town Alexandria’s largest home—a 14,000 square-foot estate at 510 Wolfe Street, built in 1854—sold for $7.1 million this week in a sale that makes it the priciest to date in the neighborhood.
Featuring 12-and-a-half-foot high ceilings, original pine floors and doors, original marble mantels, 13 fireplaces, antique chandeliers, and gilded mirrors, the three-story brick home sits on a half-acre lot and has seven bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and four half bathrooms—including an in-law suite. Among the other rooms: a double-parlor great room, a formal dining room with a butler’s pantry, a study, and a conservatory.
Outside, the yard includes a garden, covered porch, and a paver patio, plus a four-car garage and two ground-level apartments with their own entrances. A widow’s walk off the 1,700 square-foot attic offers panoramic views of the Potomac River.
Known as the Vowell-Smith House—for its original owners, John Vowell, and his son-in-law Francis L. Smith (at one point a lawyer for Robert E. Lee)—the historic estate was once used as a Civil War hospital, housing 100 Union soldiers.
In March 2025, the property was put on the market for the first time in nearly 40 years by real estate developer and former president and CEO of Virginia-based Connection Newspapers Peter Labovitz and his wife Sharon, represented by Babs Beckwith and Lauren Bishop of Corcoran McEnearney. It was originally listed for $10.8 million, dropped twice to $9.75 million and $8.5 million, then went under contract in October, and sold Monday for $7.1 million.
The previous record-holding home sale in Old Town was reportedly another 1854-built Italianate mansion also used as a Civil War hospital called the Bayne-Fowle House at 811 Prince Street, which sold for $6 million last September.
See the photos of 510 Wolfe Street below.
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
