Quigley’s may once again become a dining venue if GW officials win approval from the city to restore the abandoned building to its former status as a student hangout. The University introduced its plans to expand and renovate the G Street building at a Thursday D.C. Zoning Commission hearing.
The commission’s four-member panel listened to GW’s proposal for developing the 2000 block of F and G streets where Quigley’s is located. In addition to refurbishing Quigley’s, the University plans to construct a 379-bed residence hall in the parking lot behind Francis Scott Key Hall on F Street (see “D.C. examines dorm. proposal.” p. 8).
“No vendor has been chosen, but the facility will serve students (and) faculty and will be open to the general public,” said Michelle Honey, director of Architecture, Engineering and Construction for GW.
University Senior Counsel Charles Barber said the D.C. Zoning Commission would need to approve GW’s proposal to renovate Quigley’s, which was a soda shop for more than 60 years until the 1970s.
“The only time frame is that we would begin the approval process by summer of 2006,” Barber said.
He added that the University has yet to make a decision on what type of facility would go inside Quigley’s.
Junior Ryan Geist, director of the Student Association’s Dining Services Commission, said he has not been involved in discussions regarding Quigley’s future and does not foresee a decision “anytime soon.”
Some GW students said they would like to see a 24-hour dining option in Quigley’s, noting that GW suffers from a lack of on-campus late-night eating establishments since Aramark, which runs University dining venues, reduced its hours of operation this year.
“There should definitely be a 24-hour restaurant now because of Aramark and everything. Stuff isn’t open half the time,” said freshman Ericka Galegher.
“There definitely needs to be a 24-hour diner there,” said senior Pat Dodge, noting his discontent with the current dining venue hours.
“There’s no place to eat food here late on campus,” he added.
Quigley’s unique history began in 1891, when GW alumnus Richard Lucien Quigley opened the building as a pharmacy. The three-story brick building became a soda shop in the early 1900s and continued to serve as a student gathering place until 1974, when GW bought Quigley’s and converted it into an office building.
Quigley’s has been vacant since the geography department moved to 1957 E Street last year.
Robert Chernak, senior vice president for Student and Academic Support Services, said that plans for Quigley’s have been “in the works for a while.”
He added, “We couldn’t do anything until the geography department left last year.”
