The Plan reflects GW’s “Grow Up, Not Out” development strategy to accommodate the University’s forecasted academic and student housing needs – including state-of-the-art classroom and lab facilities and modernized residence halls – within the existing campus plan boundaries. By doing so, Square 54 (the old hospital site) can be developed as a mixed-use “town center” to provide the campus and community with a vital neighborhood gathering place and also to generate revenue necessary to support GW’s academic mission.
By concentrating development density on targeted locations in the central campus core, the plan maintains the campus’ unique and diverse character and allows for the retention of numerous buildings of architectural and historic significance, as well as important open spaces such as the University Yard and Kogan Plaza.
The new plan also seeks to develop campus and neighborhood-serving retail at the ground floor of all new development along I Street, creating a dynamic “I Street Retail Corridor” extending from the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro to the Shops at 2000 Penn.
Additional information regarding the University’s development plans, information and materials regarding the community-based planning process, copies of all community meeting presentations, and the Campus Plan document are available online at www.neighborhood.gwu.edu.
Also, Boston Properties and KSI Services Inc. (GW’s Square 54 developer team partners) have launched www.square54.com, a website dedicated to the planning of the mixed-use town center contemplated for the old hospital site.
Alumni interested in supporting this during the Zoning Commission
hearings can either submit written testimony or testify in person
on September 14, 21, 25, and 28. Those interested should contact
Scott Mory, smory@gwu.edu.
