Updated: April 24, 2015 at 5:17 p.m.
The Historic Preservation Review Board designated most parts of the interior of the Corcoran’s 17th Street building as historic landmarks on Thursday, the Washington Post reported.
The designation adds an additional review and approval process of building permit applications, and could limit the changes GW officials are able to make to the space.
Officials had hoped the designation would only extend to the “ceremonial spaces” in the building like the atrium and the rotunda. After the board’s decision, almost all of the building – excluding the basement, auditorium and first-floor galleries – will be historic, the Post reported.
GW took over the building as part of a merger with the Corcoran College of Art + Design last winter.
University President Steven Knapp said in July that GW would spend about $80 million to renovate the building, including bringing the 17th Street building up to code, adding more bathrooms and shifting around classrooms and gallery space.
Last month, the Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission backed the D.C Preservation League’s efforts to protect the building.
This post was updated to reflect the following corrections:
The Hatchet incorrectly reported that the interior of the Corcoran’s 17th Street building would be designated as historic. Portions of the building would be designated as historic. The Hatchet incorrectly reported that the parts of the building designated as historic cannot be renovated. The designation brings an additional review process. We regret these errors.
