Square 54: One Step Closer

The D.C. Zoning Commission unanimously approved the University's plan to develop Square 54 at its May monthly meeting, the GW Hatchet reported. The National Capital Planning Commission recommended that the Zoning Commission approve the plans in April.

The $250 million Square 54 project will feature approximately 336 "luxury" residential units (non-university housing), with over 80,000 sf of retail space (including a 27,000-sf supermarket and outdoor café space) and 440,000 sf of office space overlooking Washington Circle. Boston Properties and KSI Services are the developers.

Considering how complex the project is, it took GWU and the developers a reasonable amount of time to win approval of this project.

Oh wait. There is a 35-day appeal period before GWU can move forward with its construction plans. The Foggy Bottom Association threatened this spring to appeal the Square 54 decision, so it is possible that such an organization might seek further legal action during this appeal period, the Hatchet said. (Sounds eerily like the Onion.)

Foggy Bottom Battle Royale

Nearby Metro station. 2.5 acres of empty space. $250 million on the table. Shopping. Housing. Office space. Cha-Ching for tax coffers and GWU swiss bank accounts.

But wait. The Foggy Bottom Assn. says the site fronted by fronted by Pennsylvania Ave. and 23rd St. NW should not be over-developed by George Washington University. Controlling what GW can and cannot build is the zoning of the site and GWU's campus plan, which limits how much and what can be built on the 38-acre campus.

While some members of the Foggy Bottom community don't object to GWU's plan, Ron Cocome of the Foggy Bottom Assn. described the proposal as "mind-boggling" in the WaBizJour.

The Foggy Bottom Assn, who's website is www.savefoggybottom.com, says GWU already violates its campus plan because the school undercounts the number of students etc. GWU asks: why build small next to the Metro?

GWU only made it to the second round of the NCAA tourney, but this fight will go to the Final Four.