John Mahshie

Mr. Mahshie is a 46-year resident of the District of Columbia and has had a life-long interest in architecture spanning Vitruvius through van der Rohe. He has worked on numerous renovation projects including his Washington, DC, residence and his former winter residence in Miami Beach, Florida.

He has worked with architects and developers throughout the city and sold condominium projects totaling more than 100 units. A project he sold at 1401 Q Street, NW, received a merit award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the Washington Business Journal nominated his project for “Real Estate Deal of the Year.” He was the top individual producer at his firm for three consecutive years. In 2008, he was appointed by Mayor Adrian Fenty to serve on the Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals.

As Senior Vice President, he works with the Compass leadership and associates to increase their knowledge and understanding of residential and commercial architecture. Mr. Mahshie is the managing partner of the Mahshie Fazio Partnership.

From 1981 - 2002, Mr. Mahshie held positions at the Embassy of Malta and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He served as Counsel in the Litigation Section at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia. While at the FDIC, Mr. Mahshie also served as a Steward for Chapter 207 of the National Treasury Employees Union. He has been an active member of the Virginia State Bar for the last 34 years. Mr. Mahshie was Senior Vice President at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty from 2002 - 2021. His clients comprise individuals as well as corporations, foundations, and 501(c)(3)s.

Mr. Mahshie graduated from Georgetown University in 1981 with a B.S. from the School of Languages and Linguistics. He received his M.A. from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1983. In 1989, he received his J.D. from the College of Law and an M.P.A. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

He is a former board member and Chairman of the Education Committee of the Washington Mid Atlantic Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA). He has developed programs relating to commercial projects for the Wharton Club, and his penultimate program for the ICAA was “The Legacy of the Roman Empire’s Building Traditions on the Development of Islamic Architecture in Spain,” held at the Cosmos Club. Mr. Mahshie is a regular contributor to Traditional Building.

In 2024, the partnership planned, developed, and implemented the ICAA’s “New Heights” program, conducted from April 17-19 for 25 select students from the Washington Latin Public Charter School. The program included lectures by well-known local architects, landscape architects, designers, and academics and comprised lectures, field trips, and studio exercises to help the students gain an understanding and appreciation of the classical architecture tradition.

The Mahshie Fazio Partnership has also represented several developers including Dilan Homes. In March, we completed working with Dilan and architect Christian Zapatka on three new luxury residences in Georgetown. Both Messrs. Mahshie and Fazio have served as docents for the Georgetown House Tour for several years. Mr. Mahshie is licensed in DC, Virginia, Maryland, and Florida and is an American Institute of Architects Associate Member.