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Foggy Bottom Community Outreach

Prior to approval of the 2007 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan, GW was governed by the 2000 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan. Under that plan, the university followed a program which created more than 2,800 undergraduate beds on campus while also providing outstanding and state-of-the-art academic, student activity, and recreational facilities. In recent years, several factors prompted the university to closely evaluate its land use planning efforts, including:

  • the fundamental constraints of limited space and financial resources;
  • a desire to proactively address concerns expressed by residents of the surrounding neighborhoods with respect to university growth and development; and
  • the unique opportunity presented by the redevelopment potential of Square 54, the former GW hospital site which became available in 2003.

In light of these considerations and the planning opportunities they present, the university worked from 2004 to 2006 with the DC Office of Planning (OP) to develop an open and inclusive planning process that would build upon fundamental principles from the 2000 Campus Plan and address a wide range of stakeholder issues. The process drew upon various planning resources, including land use planners, architects, traffic consultants, and historic preservation experts, providing continuous opportunities for community input and feedback.

The 2007 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan was the result of this comprehensive planning effort. The new Campus Plan sets forth a framework for development of the Foggy Bottom campus over the next twenty years that accommodates the university's forecasted academic and student housing needs, addresses concerns of the surrounding community, and reflects transit oriented development and smart growth planning principles. At its core, the new Campus Plan reflects a vision of a world-class university within a dynamic and vibrant neighborhood. GW looks forward to continuing to work with all interested stakeholders to bring this vision to fruition, providing shared and lasting benefits for the community, the District, and the university.