Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that some of those who trash GDS and its ambitious plans just have a grudge, maybe because a DS or DD didn't receive a coveted admission letter.

Is GDS still a school for troubled students? If so, will the school agree to any restrictions on letting the students out into the neighborhood?

I'm not part of the GDS community and don't really know anything about the school, but I've never understood it to be a "school for troubled students". Also, since it appears that the school doesn't have a cafeteria the kids are already "out into the neighborhood" and I've never heard of any problems, but again I'm not part of GDS nor do I live in the neighborhood. Are you for real or simply trying to cause problems...?!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that some of those who trash GDS and its ambitious plans just have a grudge, maybe because a DS or DD didn't receive a coveted admission letter.

Is GDS still a school for troubled students? If so, will the school agree to any restrictions on letting the students out into the neighborhood?

It never was. And the HS already has an open campus policy.

Anonymous wrote:It makes sense for Sidwell to buy the neighboring Fannie Mae building. Don't know if they have the bucks to do it. Of course they could buy the Fannie Mae campus across the street if the school had an extra $130 million lying around.

I agree that corner building is like a lost sheep, so it makes sense at first glance for Sidwell to buy it. But I'm not sure what the school would actually want to do with that space. It's far away from all the other campus buildings and sits right on the main street. I guess I could see expanding the parking lot and athletic fields further to cover that space, but that seems like a pretty low priority move. In the end, I guess it makes a little sense for Sidwell to buy it, but only because it makes zero sense for anyone else to buy it. If they buy it, they should get a good price for it. Indeed, since they already have some sort of easement to use that alleyway on the far side of the building, maybe they also have some sort of right of first refusal to buy.

It makes sense for Sidwell to buy the neighboring Fannie Mae building. Don't know if they have the bucks to do it. Of course they could buy the Fannie Mae campus across the street if the school had an extra $130 million lying around.

Anonymous wrote:I think that some of those who trash GDS and its ambitious plans just have a grudge, maybe because a DS or DD didn't receive a coveted admission letter.

Is GDS still a school for troubled students? If so, will the school agree to any restrictions on letting the students out into the neighborhood?

Anonymous wrote:Right - the current high school campus is 7 acres, and this new project will add another 2.5-3 acres? That makes 9-10 acres total.

Current HS campus is 4.9 acres

Cathedral schools are at close to 60 acres. Much of it open space.

Unless GDs owns the three houses along Chesapeake, it's 5 acres, not 7. I know they own some neighboring houses, I just don't know which one. The Safeway parcel is about 2.5 actress. Marten's parcel is another 1.5.

so they are increasing the cramped foot print of the school by less than 50% and adding, what ...700 more people? Where are the really little kids going to play?

Right - the current high school campus is 7 acres, and this new project will add another 2.5-3 acres? That makes 9-10 acres total.

It's seven acres, not ten

Sounds like an acre difference at most, still bigger than Maret, and with underground parking and green roofing/fields, they may pick up some usable space. I've got nothing to do with the school or neighborhood, but it sounds like reducing admin space and duplication of offices for shared staff and one facilities management team will also help use space efficiently. And a 10 acre campus doesn't sound tiny to me, which is what the drawings/papers are stating (and I believe that is excluding the Martens space).

Anonymous wrote:What I'm seeing online is that the new campus will be about 10 acres. The current campus is said to be 10 acres, with 3.3 of the acres to the LMS. The Safeway property is 2.3 acres...so if they do a straight swap, then they lose an acre. But, with the Martens property, if they are able to utilize some of the green space and make it feel part of the campus, it might end up being a bit more than that. If they will have nearly 10 acres, it sounds passable for a school their size.

The only problem is that school plans intensive commercial development of the Maartens property, including two 90' buildings and retail. It will not serve as part of the campus, so your original conclusion is correct, that there will effectively be a net reduction of campus space.

What I'm seeing online is that the new campus will be about 10 acres. The current campus is said to be 10 acres, with 3.3 of the acres to the LMS. The Safeway property is 2.3 acres...so if they do a straight swap, then they lose an acre. But, with the Martens property, if they are able to utilize some of the green space and make it feel part of the campus, it might end up being a bit more than that. If they will have nearly 10 acres, it sounds passable for a school their size.

Smaller than Maret with twice as many students.