Georgetown administrators have begun to craft the ten-year plan that will dictate how the University can expand in the coming decade. University officials have changed their approach to this plan, which will come into effect in 2010, after community residents criticized the 2000-2010 plan and even took legal action against the school.
“This will encompass an arduous amount of outreach and transparency,” Associate Vice President for Benefits Charles DeSantis said.
According to DeSantis, Georgetown will place less emphasis on construction, instead exploring development ideas for the University-owned parts of the block at 36th and Prospect. The University will also evaluate the potential expansion of Lauinger Library.
“We’d like to move to a place of not so much a brick and mortar plan,” DeSantis said. “It’s more of making Georgetown a better place for students, faculty, and staff. Some of that will require looking at how we use what we have today.”
The outgoing 2000-2010 plan focused on building projects, including the recently constructed McDonough School of Business building and the proposed science building. A draft of the new plan should be available to the public in May or June of 2009.
According to Ed Solomon, the chair of theAdvisory Neighborhood Commission, the Georgetown ANC has already begun to work with the University on the plan. Solomon and ANC commissioner Bill Skelsey were optimistic about Georgetown’s approach.
“The University has been very open and proactive thus far,” Skelsey said. “We’re grateful to the University for reaching out to the non-University community. I think things have started out on a very good foundation.”
Denis Cunningham, President of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, was also encouraged by the University’s approach, but cautioned against further expansion in to the surrounding community.
“The campus already has 104 acres,” Cunningham said. “The cause for concern is further expansion into the community.”
