The D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board, which oversees renovation plans for historic landmarks, approved renovation plans for AU’s Tenley Campus on Sept. 27 despite Tenleytown’s Advisory Neighborhood Commission voting against the plans.
The new Tenley Campus will be home to the Washington College of Law, which is currently located in Spring Valley. The site falls under the board’s jurisdiction since it qualifies as a local landmark.
The D.C. Zoning Commission approved the Campus Plan in April.
ANC 3E, which oversees the neighborhood of Tenleytown, voted 4-0 opposing the current plans for Tenleytown constructions on Sept. 13.
While the board approved AU’s construction plans, it said it would be open to the University presenting a revised plan that kept community members’ concerns in mind, said Steve Callcott, the deputy preservation officer of the State Historic Preservation Office, which regulates the renovation of historic buildings.
Community members were concerned about how the new campus will fit into the neighborhood, as well as how it will blend in with the surrounding aesthetics.
“People in the community and people on the ANC believe the campus should be as open as possible, should be as integrated as possible with the street and contribute as much as possible to enlivening the Wisconsin corridor,” Matthew Frumin, chairperson and secretary to Tenleytown’s ANC said.
Renovations for the Tenley Campus are scheduled to start in July 2013.
“We probably will have more discussions about this issue with various groups before finalizing the design for the Tenley Campus front lawn,” Associate Director of Media Relations Maralee Csellar said.
The University, the community and the State Historic Preservation Office have discussed what the entranceway to Tenley Campus should look like for more than a year, Frumin said.
ANC 3E suggested the entrance to Tenley Campus feature a wider and grander staircase leading up from the street, a sculpture or a fountain where people could relax.
AU has been working on renovations for the Tenley Campus since early 2009. The University has been discussing this with the ANC since July 2009 and with the State Historic Preservation Office since early 2010, Csellar said.
Full Disclosure: Steven Murphy worked as an intern for AU Media Relations last year.
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