On Monday, April 14, the D.C. Zoning Commission finally gave preliminary approval of the construction of the University’s new MBNA Performing Arts Center, ending a semester-long fight between the University and local residents’ groups. The Commission’s decision should be applauded for allowing Georgetown to better serve its students and community, if not for its tardiness.
But while this particular controversy has likely been settled, it won’t be the last controversy regarding Georgetown’s future plans to improve its campus. Indeed, this quagmire was only the first consequence of a series of conditions placed upon the University’s 10-Year Plan by the District’s Board of Zoning Adjustment in March 2002 in response to Georgetown and Burleith residents concerned about University expansion and student behavior.
These conditions required the University to consult with the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles regarding the registration of student cars with the University. Also, the University is required to provide a process for moving off-campus students who violate local laws (including noise and trash regulations) back onto campus. Most importantly to the University, the board set an enrollment cap of 5,627 undergraduates. Violate any of these conditions, said the BZA, and we won’t let you build or renovate your campus.
The main argument of the residents who challenged the arts center’s approval attacked the University’s method for determining enrollment-averaging high fall semester and low spring semester figures to arrive at a number under the cap.
The Commission has not yet ruled on whether the University’s method is valid, but they still found the University in substantial compliance with the BZA’s conditions, and construction can now begin.
While the Commission might easily have postponed approval yet again for more study, it has decided that a project with as wide support as a new arts center shouldn’t be stopped by pettiness and technicalities. Kudos to the members of the commission for not allowing the BZA conditions to strangle the University’s already embattled arts community.
In August, construction will finally begin on a long-overdue facility, whose arts events will benefit not only students, but community members as well, including those who fought against it. We hope they enjoy it as much as we will.
