In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Miller and Smith, a McLean-based, award-winning real estate development company, made the September cover of Professional Builder, a national magazine focused on the home-building industry.

The company emerged from a class project while David Miller and Gordon Smith were attending Harvard Business School. With $32,000 in cash, Miller and Smith started the business in Smith’s basement in 1964.

One of Miller and Smith’s first major projects was developing a community of homes in the Wessynton neighborhood located in historic Mount Vernon.

The 65-acre community was once part of George Washington’s estate. The Mount Vernon Ladies Association negotiated the deal with Miller and Smith, who then built over 150 contemporary homes.

Miller and Smith has sold over 17,000 homes since starting in up Smith’s basement. The company generated more than $200 million in gross revenue last year.