SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS PROJECT: DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP

GW President Steven Knapp speaks at the August 2009 ribbon cutting opening ceremony for School Without Walls/pictured from left are: Ward 2 City Councilmember Jack Evans; DCPS Director of Facilities Modernization Alan Y. Lew; DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee; Knapp; SWW student; SWW Principal Richard Trogisch; DC Mayor Adrian Fenty

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and GW in March 2006, created a public/private development partnership to facilitate a joint School Without Walls/GW development project. Under the MOU, GW would acquire the SWW rear parking lot and combine that land with the adjacent GW tennis courts to construct a new undergraduate residence hall. The monies transferred to DCPS for the land and density transferred to GW under this agreement would support the planned modernization and expansion of the SWW facility.

View of new SWW addition (left) and renovated Grant School structure/August September 2009

School Without Walls Project
The approximately $12 million in funds GW transferred to DCPS under this agreement were combined with existing DCPS funds to finance a complete renovation of the Grant School structure as well as construct an adjoining structure to the east and south of the existing school which houses additional classroom, laboratory and auxiliary facilities. The project also includes an attractive outdoor roof terrace, as well as infrastructure upgrades to accommodate current and future uses of technology in the classroom.

View of South Hall main entrance/September 2009

GW Residence Hall Project
GW's new residence hall provides 474 beds for undergraduate students in apartment-style configurations. This increases and upgrades GW's on-campus housing stock allowing the University to meet the demand for undergraduate student housing and maintain compliance with the 2007 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan housing requirement. The approximately 178 underground parking spaces assist GW in replacing parking that would be lost due to the proposed future redevelopment of the existing above grade University Parking Garage for academic purposes, as set forth in the 2007 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan.

Regulatory Process
DCPS and GW submitted an application requesting zoning approval of this joint development project in April 2006. The Zoning Commission held an October 30, 2006 public hearing on this project and issued a unanimous approval on November 14, 2006. Construction on the GW residence hall commenced in 2007 and construction at SWW began in 2008 and both were completed in summer 2009.

Related Documents:

• Fact Sheet: DCPS/GW School Without Walls Partnership
• Construction updates for GW's new residence hall: Weekly Updates
• Regulatory Filings: Filings to the DC Zoning Commission
• Materials from Community Meetings:
  • October 18, 2006 Presentation at ANC 2A Monthly Meeting
  • March 23, 2006 Community Meeting Presentation