AU took another step to move the Washington College of Law to Tenley Campus Aug. 30, filling an application for further processing with the D.C. Zoning Commission.
The application includes descriptions of the proposed Tenley Campus and renderings of the buildings.
It also includes a list of all events held at the law school during the 2010-2011 academic year and the number of AU and non-AU attendees. During summer Zoning Commission hearings, representatives from the Tenleytown area had previously questioned AU officials about traffic to and from the law school and how the move would impact the Tenley area.
WCL’s expanding student population and its current lack of accessible public transportation prompted the move, according to the University. The law school has “outgrown” its location and currently rents 16,000 square feet near the main facility, according to the AU website.
Proposed changes to Tenley Campus
Congressional Hall, Federal Hall and Constitution Building will be demolished to make room for new WCL facilities on the Tenley Campus. Capital Hall, its chapel and Dunblane House are considered historic and will remain.
The grass hill on Tenley Circle, behind Capital Hall, will be reconfigured into a flat, grassy courtyard area to make the school more accessible to pedestrians, according to the application.
AU has proposed constructing a four-story building on Nebraska Avenue that will hold WCL’s ceremonial courtroom, a large lobby, tiered classrooms, the Pence Law Library and study areas.
The University also proposed a new four-story building on Yuma Street with tiered classrooms, a dining facility, faculty offices and meeting spaces.
The exterior of Capital Hall will remain the same, but the interior will be converted into office and meeting spaces, including:
• Lower level — student offices for legal briefs and journals
• First level — administrative support offices such as Student Affairs, Financial Aid and the Registrar
• Chapel — renovated to accommodate the WCL Trial Advocacy program, changing the main sanctuary into a ceremonial moot courtroom and the lower level into teaching courtrooms
The full application, plans and descriptions are available to the public on AU’s website.
landerson@theeagleonline.com
