Arriving back on campus this fall, students may notice some upgrades to residence halls, food options, common space and other enhancements to make their lives at the George Washington University better.
Here are some important ones:
Track your transport
Students and others who regularly commute between GW’s three main campuses—Foggy Bottom, Mount Vernon and the Virginia Science and Technology Campus—are now able to track via mobile app their Vern Express or VSTC shuttle. Similar to the tracking abilities of apps such as Uber or Lyft, the app allows users to watch the shuttles travel in real time and receive a notification when they have arrived or are delayed. You can download it here or search “TransLoc Rider” in your app store.
Buy your GW spirit gear (but get textbooks online)
The newly opened “Colonial Hub,” on the first floor of the Marvin Center, features university spirit gear and fan apparel. On the Marvin Center lower level, in the Campus Store’s main location, students will find a wider selection of GW apparel, gifts, school supplies and residence hall room necessities. The lower level is also the location to pick up your textbooks (remember, though, you must order them online).
Increased food options
On the heels of the openings of five new fast-casual restaurants and a coffeehouse in District House, as well as a new crêpe shop in Duquès Hall last academic year, the university recently announced that Panera Bread will open a bakery-café on the ground floor of the Marvin Center and Teashi will open in Shenkman Hall with a focus on Asian-style foods and beverages. Opening dates will be announced later this fall. GW’s open dining plan gives students access to these and other food and grocery partners—more than 100—located on GW’s campuses and in surrounding neighborhoods.
Marvin Center student space
The university continues to make improvements to the former Columbian Square eating area on the ground floor of the Marvin Center. Phase two of the project—which aims to expand the “living room” space and create a new meeting room for admissions tours as well as student activities —is underway and will increase the amount of space available to students for gathering, studying and eating in the Marvin Center.
Residence hall renovations and upgrades
Your residence hall lounge may have seen a makeover: Hall lounges in Clark, Cole, Fulbright, Francis Scott Key (FSK), Hensley, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (JBKO) and Merriweather got new furniture, carpet and paint. And GW completed the installation of all new elevators in South Hall and replaced room furniture in Clark, Hensley and Merriweather. As part of a regular summer maintenance schedule, JBKO Hall received new windows, doors and furniture. Francis Scott Key Hall received new furniture and flooring as well as bathroom upgrades. Fulbright Hall received new furniture, fresh paint, new stoves, refrigerators, central heating and cooling, new windows and complete renovations of all bathrooms with new fixtures, tile and ceilings. Some work in Fulbright is ongoing and will be completed soon.
Updated classroom space
Tompkins Hall has a new engineering lab (and an Innovation Center, which opened in the spring) while geography labs moved to Phillips Hall and several new classrooms await students at a new location in 1776 G Street. Renovations to Corcoran Hall have also progressed. It will house new classroom, lab and office space and will open in advance of the spring 2018 semester. Dozens of classrooms across campus also received digital upgrades—including at Duquès, Hall of Government, Monroe and Phillips halls and the Media and Public Affairs building. Renovations, including HVAC, electrical and life safety upgrades, continue at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design’s 17th Street building.
Green space
Stop by and enjoy new green space and fresh flowers—while the weather is still nice—near the corner of 21st and G streets.
