The D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board is working with the University to create a historic district within GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus, a member of the group told residents at the Foggy Bottom Association’s monthly meeting last week.

Tim Dennee, a staff reviewer for the review board, said the historic district will consist of parts of Foggy Bottom and the area west of the White House.

“We do think it is important, especially as the University keeps growing, to legally protect some of these structures,” Dennee said. “You don’t get more 19th-century structures. They slowly disappear so we have to save the most important ones that we have.”

The Board reached out to property owners in the potential historic district, Dennee told residents. All of the property owners need to be consulted before the project can move ahead.

University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard said the review board granted approval for GW’s Historic Preservation Plan in June of 2006, and the University went forward with the concept in its 2007 Foggy Bottom Campus Plan.

“At this point, the D.C. Historic Preservation Office is responsible for initiating community outreach and finalizing the historic district,” Sherrard said.

Though the historic district isn’t finalized, “the University has voluntarily agreed to maintain all of the properties within the proposed historic district as if the historic district were already in place,” Sherrard said.

GW nominated six campus buildings for landmark designations, which were approved at a January 2010 review board hearing.

The Board designated Madison, Fulbright, JBKO and Munson residence halls, as well as the John J. Earley Office and Studio at 2131 G St. and the H.B. Burns Memorial Building at 2150 Pennsylvania Ave., as landmarks in the historic district.

The University is providing background research to assist the Historic Preservation Office as it creates the district on campus.

Sherrard said the University will continue to assist the preservation office by protecting the historic resources on campus and within the pending historic district.