Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also people need to separate antipathy towards the massive project proposed for a residential neighborhood - one that existed long before the school moved in - and general good will toward GDS. I suspect that the consolidation is not unanimously supported within the school. I suspect that neighbors also may have strong objections. But the school community should probably ignore this board because it is designed to inflame tensions and there is nothing you can do about it.

How many people in that area bought their homes before 1945 I wonder? Hard to argue that they were not aware they would be near a school (and schools change and expand -- as do most things in non-dying cities.)

Schools do expand, but they are also expected to be sensitive (and under many zoning orders, address) external issues like traffic, parking, noise, etc. Many neighbors in Tenleytown are friendly to GDS and are not opposed to the school's general plan to have one campus, provided that external impacts are addressed. Others would prefer to see residential development over an expanded school. What has more people upset, though, is the "double whammy" in the school's plans: a campus with almost 1200 students, plus faculty, staff, parent visitors, etc. AND intensive mixed-use development. (The campus portion itself will be so heavily utilized that the only space for the elementary and middle schools to play will be on the roof!) It's hard argue that anyone who purchased their homes nearby should have assumed all that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also people need to separate antipathy towards the massive project proposed for a residential neighborhood - one that existed long before the school moved in - and general good will toward GDS. I suspect that the consolidation is not unanimously supported within the school. I suspect that neighbors also may have strong objections. But the school community should probably ignore this board because it is designed to inflame tensions and there is nothing you can do about it.

How many people in that area bought their homes before 1945 I wonder? Hard to argue that they were not aware they would be near a school (and schools change and expand -- as do most things in non-dying cities.)

GDS moved to the Tenleytown campus in the mid-1980s so there are many neighbor pre-exist the school. The school has moved many times over the years. The high school was where there River School is now.

Anonymous wrote:Also people need to separate antipathy towards the massive project proposed for a residential neighborhood - one that existed long before the school moved in - and general good will toward GDS. I suspect that the consolidation is not unanimously supported within the school. I suspect that neighbors also may have strong objections. But the school community should probably ignore this board because it is designed to inflame tensions and there is nothing you can do about it.

How many people in that area bought their homes before 1945 I wonder? Hard to argue that they were not aware they would be near a school (and schools change and expand -- as do most things in non-dying cities.)

A Trojan Horse, perhaps?

I'm thinking there is a giant gift pending from a developer that has been built in to the finances for the new campus. That developer is probably affiliated with the school so is willing to reap a less than usual profit on the Wisc. Ave property.

Anonymous wrote:I believe GDS struggles with the fact that it is a relatively younger school and does not have the resources of STA, NCS and Sidwell, and the board is smart to consider how to narrow that gap. Tuition is a huge issue and if these schools want to continue to attract the best and the brightest -- instead of just the wealthiest -- they need to boost their endowments so they will be in a position to offer the amount of financial aid to support an economically diverse community.

Spending nearly $12 million to buy the Volvo dealership and then to lease the land to a developer is not a good strategy for lowering tuition or increasing financial aid. That's not going to yield a high rate of return. Neither is a massive fundraising project to rebuild facilities that GDS already owns. That's a net financial drain since the MacArthur campus will bring in less money than it costs to rebuild its facilities and pay for the land to house them.

It's one thing to announce laudable goals (or to articulate real problems). But the key question is whether the proposed response furthers the goal or solves the problem. And to evaluate that, you have to look at the details -- not just the rhetoric.

If they make the new buildings attractive looking I think that would go a long way towards neighborhood goodwill. The current high school building is just SO dang ugly. It is a big box that you can't see into or through with no ornamental detail. It really is an eyesore.

I believe GDS struggles with the fact that it is a relatively younger school and does not have the resources of STA, NCS and Sidwell, and the board is smart to consider how to narrow that gap. Tuition is a huge issue and if these schools want to continue to attract the best and the brightest -- instead of just the wealthiest -- they need to boost their endowments so they will be in a position to offer the amount of financial aid to support an economically diverse community.

Also people need to separate antipathy towards the massive project proposed for a residential neighborhood - one that existed long before the school moved in - and general good will toward GDS. I suspect that the consolidation is not unanimously supported within the school. I suspect that neighbors also may have strong objections. But the school community should probably ignore this board because it is designed to inflame tensions and there is nothing you can do about it.

Anonymous wrote:I've heard some GDS parents say that the new campus puts GDS firmly along Wisconsin Ave., just like the Cathedral schools and Sidwell, like this confers Top 3 recognition.

This post right here is the problem with anonymous posting and why the private/independent schools threads often lack real credibility. This poster sounds like a gossipy middle school student. I also highly doubt she is affiliated with any parents from private schools in the area, she just like to talk a big game to make herself feel important.

The Cathedral schools, Sidwell, WIS, GDS, Maret, etc. will always be targeted by angry mamas whose kids were rejected. These threads would be so much more useful if we all weren't anonymous. Any cray-cray can talk about how they've "heard some..." So silly.

Interesting thread. Having kids @ GDS for nearly 12 years, I haven't really heard a lot about how the consolidation and relocation positions the school vis-a-vis Sidwell and the other schools on Wisconsin. What I hear includes (a) desire to have all students on one campus to ease commute for families, (b) preference for all faculty and staff to be near a Metro stop, and a (c) goal for an income producing properties to bolster FA and teacher salaries. GDS is about half as old as the Cathedral Schools, Maret, and Sidwell. My guess is the endowment is substantially less than any of those schools. And I can't imagine, given the history of the school's founding, that they would swap a city location for more space in a suburban setting.

GDS isn't for every family, just like some folks prefer single sex to coed. I've never quite gotten the antipathy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the current plan is two 90 foot apartment buildings along Wisconsin Ave.

There will be no above-ground building on the Davenport "right of way" (the mixed-use towers will be to either side) so that there will be strong visual connection between GDS and the Avenue.

"Yes we are a Wisconsin Ave. school - even if we are landlords!"

insecure, much?

Don't be snarky. The point is that the Wisconsin Av. development will form a view corridor to GDS for pedestrians and cars passing on Wisconsin Av. and will create a symbolic gateway to the expanded campus.

Insecure much?

Write poorly much?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the current plan is two 90 foot apartment buildings along Wisconsin Ave.

There will be no above-ground building on the Davenport "right of way" (the mixed-use towers will be to either side) so that there will be strong visual connection between GDS and the Avenue.

"Yes we are a Wisconsin Ave. school - even if we are landlords!"

insecure, much?

Don't be snarky. The point is that the Wisconsin Av. development will form a view corridor to GDS for pedestrians and cars passing on Wisconsin Av. and will create a symbolic gateway to the expanded campus.

Insecure much?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the current plan is two 90 foot apartment buildings along Wisconsin Ave.

There will be no above-ground building on the Davenport "right of way" (the mixed-use towers will be to either side) so that there will be strong visual connection between GDS and the Avenue.

"Yes we are a Wisconsin Ave. school - even if we are landlords!"

insecure, much?

Don't be snarky. The point is that the Wisconsin Av. development will form a view corridor to GDS for pedestrians and cars passing on Wisconsin Av. and will create a symbolic gateway to the expanded campus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the current plan is two 90 foot apartment buildings along Wisconsin Ave.

There will be no above-ground building on the Davenport "right of way" (the mixed-use towers will be to either side) so that there will be strong visual connection between GDS and the Avenue.

"Yes we are a Wisconsin Ave. school - even if we are landlords!"

insecure, much?