A Chick-fil-A in Mitchell Hall is projected to open in the next two months after a series of delays and a nearly three-year hiatus, officials announced at a community meeting Monday.
Associate Vice President of Business Services Seth Weinshel said at a Campus Plan Advisory Committee meeting that the fast food chain is slated to open in late July or early August, pending final inspections. University officials first announced plans to add a Chick-fil-A to Mitchell Hall in February 2024, with a planned opening in fall 2024.
Chick-fil-A previously operated inside the District House basement until August 2021, but GW officials said they planned to relocate the fast food restaurant to the University Student Center. Weinshel said in June 2022 there were “mechanical challenges” with Chick-fil-A’s planned location within the student center. Once open, Chick-fil-A will return to campus after nearly three years.
The Chick-fil-A will accept dining dollars, according to an email sent to students in February 2024.
As a year past the initial projected opening date creeps closer, Weinshel said the project is in the “final stages” of earning its Certificate of Occupancy, a required document that certifies the building is up to code and operational. Officials will begin staffing the Chick-fil-A soon, Weinshel said.
“We are finally at the finish line,” Weinshel said.
Summer construction underway
The Chick-fil-A location will open amid ongoing construction to Mitchell Hall, which will not reopen as a student resident hall until summer 2026.
Vice President of Construction Management and Campus Planning Adam Aaronson said officials are adding new windows, bathrooms, flooring, ceilings, lighting, “mechanical systems” and accessible features throughout Mitchell Hall — all with a targeted summer 2026 completion date.
Aaronson also shared updates on other construction projects the University is tackling over the summer, including at Gelman Library, the University Student Center and Bell Hall.
Gelman Library is closed for the second consecutive summer for a “multi-summer HVAC system maintenance project” from May 17 to Aug. 17. The project, which launched in 2024, is scheduled to update the HVAC system and replace fire alarms over three summers, ensuring the facilities remain operational during the academic year.
Aaronson said the USC will also see a fresh paint job, wall coverings and “mural additions” throughout the building, with an early August completion date.
Bell Hall will undergo a series of upgrades, including new windows throughout the building, HVAC upgrades on the third and fourth floors, new flooring and refinished walls and paints in the hallways. GW began the project last month after years of community complaints over facilities problems in the building.
Campus plan on the horizon
Officials also noted that GW partnered with the organization Sasaki for the development process of the 2027 campus plan. “Internal engagement” for the plan will begin this summer before turning to the community for further engagement in the fall, officials said.
GW last developed a campus plan for the Foggy Bottom campus in 2007. The plan outlined a framework for campus development over the next 20 years. The University is set to launch a refreshed campus plan charting the path for long-term planning in 2027.
