March 10, 2004

Zoning Commission Approves New Residence Hall

By Thomas Kohout

The DC Zoning Commission approved the University’s Planned Unit Development (PUD) submission as a “proposed action,” March 8, paving the way for construction of a new residence hall next to 2025 F St. that will help GW increase the number of on-campus beds as outlined in the University’s campus plan.

“The commission was favorable to the project” once the size of the building was scaled back to 10 stories (90 feet) housing 379 beds, said Charles Barber, senior counsel. “We’re optimistic that, depending upon how long the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) takes to review the case, we could see a final approval by April or May.”

The NCPC has 30 days to review the proposal and address any federal property concerns, before returning the plan to the Zoning Commission for final action.
If the commission gives its final approval by mid-spring, according to Michelle Honey, director of University Architecture, Construction and Engineering, it would set a timetable for a possible Nov. 1 start of construction with plans for occupancy by August 2006.

In its decision the commission did request certain conditions in the project be “tightened up,” according to Barber. As part of an amenities package to go along with the new residence hall, the University plans to remodel Quigley’s, returning the former pharmacy turned home to the Department of Geography, to its retail roots.

“We said as a condition of approval [for the residence hall] we would seek zoning approvals for Quigley’s once the University received the permit of occupancy for the residence hall,” Barber explained.

In the event that the request for zoning was denied or delayed, the commission asked the University to provide an alternative amenity, Barber said. Also, if a tenant for the proposed 1,300 square-foot, first-floor retail space in the residence hall hasn’t been found a year after occupancy, GW would be required to operate some retail facility in that space. Other issues had to do with how the University plans to handle move-in and move-out procedures in an effort to minimize the impact on the street.

According to the campus plan, GW has until Aug. 31, 2006, to house 70 percent of undergraduates, plus one bed for each undergraduate the University admits over 8,000, in on-campus facilities. GW is scheduled to take another step forward in meeting this requirement when the 728-bed Ivory Towers residence hall opens in August.

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