In October 2010, the GW Board of Trustees approved unanimously a plan to build a state-of-the-art Science and Engineering Hall on the Foggy Bottom campus. The board unanimously approved the project after reviewing design and cost estimates and hearing from university leaders about the impact the hall would have on learning, research and recruitment.
While a construction timeline for the project has not yet been established, the project could commence construction as early as mid-2011 with delivery as early as mid-2014.
The George Washington University has a long history of contributing to scientific discovery. From its days as the birthplace of the Big Bang Theory to today’s cutting edge breakthroughs in the fields of energy and medicine, the research and discovery at GW is making visible, intellectual contributions to the solutions of national and global problems.
GW is embarking on an ambitious effort to further extend its impact in the worlds of science and engineering by constructing a new Science & Engineering Hall in the heart of Washington, DC. By combining the resources of both science and engineering disciplines, GW will create a collaborative and multidisciplinary work environment that builds on GW’s tradition of applying academic rigor to tough questions and is essential to finding solutions to the challenges of today, and tomorrow. The building will include functions from the School of Engineering and Applied Science as well as the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences’ physical science departments, including Biological Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, and Hominid Paleobiology. Other aligned researchers will also be located in the new hall.
The hall will offer world-class, collaborative research and learning in engineering and science as well as provide state-of-the-art - yet flexible space for students and faculty to conduct research and interact with corporate and government partners. The new hall will significantly improve the science and engineering offerings at the institution and help GW serve as a national and international hub for debate and dialogue on the intersection of discovery and policy.
In 2009, GW’s Board of Trustees authorized expenditures of up to $10 million for planning, design, and cost-estimation for this transformational project. The University is currently in the early stages of planning for this building – working on benchmarking and programming efforts which will shape the future of this building. Additional architectural and design work will follow the completion of benchmarking and programming in preparation for presentation of the project to the Board of Trustees in fall 2010, at which point a cost estimate and funding plan will also be available. Funding for the project is anticipated to come from three primary sources: the endowment payout associated with the income from the commercial redevelopment of Square 54; additional indirect cost recovery attributable to activities located in the building and gifts from donors.
Planning Process/Background Materials
The following summarizes public meetings and events being held in late 2009 and 2010 as part of the planning process for the proposed science and engineering hall:
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