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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]There just seems to be so much up in the air still about what the school plans to do.  This is before the neighbors begin to weigh in which is a nightmare, just ask St. Albans, Sidwell, Field and St. Patrick's.[/quote]

This is a gross overgenerization and depends entirely on how the school approaches the community and tries to address its concerns.  Sidwell Friends in recent years has had a very good relationship with its neighborhood and the lcoal ANCs.  It maintained a dialogue with the community about its expansion plans, listened to concerns and was able to realize the multiple phases of its building program without many sacrifices (and this was on a property on the National Register of Historic Places, which is subject to much stricter review standards).  St. Albans has had an open and constructive relationship with its neigbors and ANC, was able to expand its academic buildings signficantly and currently is totally revamping its outdoor athletic complex.  I can't speak in any detail about Field and St. Patricks, but would note that Field has expanded next to a residential neighborhood and St. Patrick's has been able to get approval of an ambitious development plan containing both a subdivision and a future high school project.

Those schools that have encountered delays or restrictions (NCRC about 12 years ago and National Cathedral School when it build its gym) tended to treat community concerns dismissively and spent money on lawyers rather than spending time talking with neighbors.  Later heads of both schools took more open, conciliatory and constructive approaches, and both schools undertook substantial renovations with community support.

I have every confidence, based on what it has done to date, that GDS will engage with the community in a transparent, constructive way to address concerns and mitigate impacts.[/quote]

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