Off-campus Student Expectations
CUA Building Projects and Property Development
| Building Projects |
Information about the university's plans for campus buildings and development of other university-owned property is available from the office of Community and Government Relations at (202) 319-5142, 280 Leahy Hall on the campus.
IMPORTANT CURRENT ACTIVITY:
As of mid-spring 2009, CUA is in the process of moving forward with the Abdo Development PUD proposal for South Campus pending before the D.C. Zoning Commission and set for a "set down" hearing on April 27, 2009.
Updates to and input from key neighborhood groups and leaders regarding "the next steps" on South Campus have occurred regularly since 2006, to individual ANC commissioners and neighbors as well as to regular ANC and civic association meetings. THANK YOU!! to our neighbors and commissioners in ANC 5A and ANC 5C who have provided feedback on the South Campus project. The only major building project pending on campus is a second new residence hall, planned for the site just east of the new Opus Hall residence hall, but while the neighborhood ANC's and the Zoning Commission have approved a second building, given the current economy funding for construction has not yet been identified.
COMPLAINTS: If anyone in the neighborhood has complaints about problems caused by trucks going to any construction or renovation activity on the campus, parking on neighborhood streets by construction trucks and workers, and rodents or unduly loud noise or dust/debris caused by any campus construction process, those complaints should be directed to the University's Facilities Service Center, at (202) 319-5121. If complaints are not adequately responded to in a reasonable period of time, please feel free to contact Craig Parker, General Counsel and Associate Vice President for Community & Government Relations, at (202) 319-5097.
CAMPUS MASTER PLAN. The university's current Campus Master Plan was approved in 2002 and amended in early 2007 to approve the new Opus Hall residence hall, relocation of the Facilities Building and other projects.
WEST CAMPUS. The university's zoning approval for the "West Campus" (the 49 acres purchased from the Armed Forces Retirement Home in 2002 and located between Harewood Road, N.E., and North Capitol Street) permits certain campus uses. The university presently has the property closed off and is in the process of land use planning for future uses.
Current significant campus building projects and property development activities include:
MAIN CAMPUS.
The Opus Hall residence hall project. This 402-bed residence hall project is expected to come online by the spring - summer of 2009. More information is also available clicking on the "Building Projects" link on the lefthand side of this page.
Information about the project is available from CUA's Office of Public Affairs publications. December 1, 2006. Inside CUA- CUA, OPUS Sign Contract for New Residence Hall. "Catholic University and the OPUS East Construction Group of Rockville, Md., signed a multimillion-dollar contract in late November for the construction of a planned seven-story residence hall that is slated for completion by fall 2009 to accommodate an increase in undergraduate enrollment..." Read More.
The South Campus property development process. Catholic University owns slightly more than 8 acres of property south of Michigan Avenue, N.E., on the west side of the Brookland-CUA Metro stop ("South Campus"). The parcels located there presently include St. Bonaventure Hall, three student residence hall buildings (Spalding, Spellman and Conaty Halls), and three vacant parcels. The university has been engaged since the spring of 2006 in planning future uses of the South Campus and in 2008 signed a development agreement with Abdo Development corporation. In addition to presentations at a number of community meetings in ANC 5C, ANC 5A, the Michigan Park Civic Association and others, the university has also been an active participant in the D.C. Office of Planning "Brookland-CUA Metro Small Area Plan" planning process resulting in approval of the Small Area Plan by the D.C. City Council in early 2009.
Beginning in 2006 and continuing since then, CUA has engaged in a series of meetings and discussions regarding South Campus development with the Brookland-CUA Metro Stop Small Area Plan group, ANC5A, ANC5C, the Michigan Park Civic Association, Brookland business leaders and individual ANC commissioners including for ANC5C10 and ANC5C09, single member district meetings and Brookland citizens.
CUA's expectation is that the South Campus development project will provide a financial return to support the renovation and construction of residence halls on its main campus, will provide amenities that will benefit both the neighborhood and the students and employees of the university, enhance the "streetscape" of the area and improve pedestrian safety and access to the Brookland-CUA Metro site, improve the entrance to the university along Michigan Avenue and contribute to making Michigan Avenue a Great Street in the District, and make a contribution to the culture and public space of the neighborhood that will create a unique place that properly reflects the Brookland community.
Summary information about the South Campus planning process appears in the CUA publication "Inside CUA" in December 2006 - Letter from CUA President and addresses residents hall project and relocation of student residents halls in addition to current plan for using the property known as "South Campus."