For Immediate Release
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Georgetown University, Gonzaga College High School Enter Long-Term Lease Agreement for 55 H St. NW Lot
Empty Parcel Owned by High School Likely to Become University Student Housing
Washington, D.C. — On May 6, 2019, Gonzaga College High School and Georgetown University announced that the two Jesuit educational institutions had signed an 85-year ground lease for 55 H St. NW, located in the NoMa Business Improvement District (NoMa BID). Owned by Gonzaga, the undeveloped parcel is adjacent to the high school’s athletic field and blocks from Georgetown’s Law Center, School of Continuing Studies, and a recently acquired property on 1st Street NW. Although the plans for 55 H St. are still in development, Georgetown anticipates an increased demand for student housing and intends to construct a new residential building.
“We are pleased that this partnership will provide Gonzaga with resources to support its educational mission, and we’re glad to have a fellow educational institution as our neighbor at this site,” says Christopher Murphy, Vice President for Government Relations and Community Engagement at Georgetown University. “We believe activating the site seven days a week will be a positive development for the 100 block of H Street and the surrounding neighborhood.”
NoMa BID President Robin-Eve Jasper applauds the new partnership. “Gonzaga has been one of the most important institutions in the NoMa community,” she says. “Enhancing its ability to serve students, while at the same time providing new facilities for Georgetown University and further activating H Street, just steps from the new WeWork location — all add to the abundant creative energy in NoMa today.”
Gonzaga has been located at 19 I St. NW for nearly 150 years and is the oldest high school for boys in the District. The agreement with Georgetown, the nation’s oldest Jesuit university, will provide a long-term revenue stream for Gonzaga that will support the financing of its newly built stadium and on-campus underground parking garage. Over the course of the land lease, income generated will also support tuition assistance for deserving students and other long-term priorities of the school.