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Another iconic estate was the Corcoran Mansion, located on Lafayette Square. William Wilson Corcoran, a philanthropist and banker, commissioned architect James Renwick Jr. (designer of the Smithsonian Castle) to convert a modest 1820s farmhouse into an Italianate palace. The mansion featured broad wings, bay windows, and stone balconies, establishing a model for elegant Washingtonian estates. Serving as a hub of social life and art collections, the mansion symbolized society’s refinement. By the early 20th century, its location near the White House made it prime real estate, leading to its 1922 sale and subsequent demolition, giving way to a modern commercial building, the Chamber of Commerce.