Title: A Hotel, Plaza and Boathouse Updates: What’s New on Georgetown’s Campuses

Most students may have been gone this summer, but campus was still abuzz with new projects, construction and even drones.

This summer, the university passed a major milestone in developing a boathouse; reopened its on-campus hotel; souped up its film screen room; and created a new plaza on the Capitol Campus.

Find out what we’ve been up to — and what’s new — across Georgetown’s campuses. 

Hilltop Campus Updates

A Revamped Hotel: In August, The Hoya Hotel reopened its doors to guests after a year of renovations and updates. 

What’s New: The refurbished hotel, located on the Hilltop Campus, features 145 hotel rooms, a fitness center, grand ballroom and conference rooms with Zoom. In October, the hotel will debut its bar and restaurant, Oak & Laurel.

A Film Screening Room: In May, Georgetown renovated the Film and Media Studies’ film screening room in New South. 

What’s New: The team replaced the seats and carpet and added new AV equipment so the space can be used both as a classroom and for professional film screenings. The upgraded equipment will allow faculty to mark up film screens during class. 

The space is now available for courses, special events, screenings and to host visiting artists and scholars. 

Solar Panels: Georgetown is replacing the solar panels on the roof of the Intercultural Center. The solar panels were initially installed in 1984, in what was then the country’s largest of its kind project. 

What’s New: The update will include 1,001 high-efficiency photovoltaic panels, which will generate 76% more energy annually than the previous panels for the campus. The project is anticipated to be completed in spring 2027. 

Upgraded Research Labs: Renovations are nearing completion on the second floor of the Basic Science Building, creating modern, flexible laboratory and office space that will strengthen the university’s research and growth capacities.

What’s New: The renovated floor includes state-of-the-art research labs and new spaces for collaboration, as well as updated furniture and lab equipment for Georgetown’s Medical Center faculty and researchers. The project is expected to be complete later this fall.

Auditorium Updates

McNeir Auditorium: Georgetown began renovating McNeir Auditorium, a gathering space for the university’s arts and humanities hub. 

What’s New: Project leaders are updating the interior design, floors, wall treatments, seats and lighting. They are also restoring the auditorium’s original 1925 windows; upgrading the audio and visual systems; installing a new stage curtain and large digital display; and adding an accessible path to the stage. The project is anticipated to be completed in spring 2027.

Intercultural Center Auditorium: The auditorium inside the ICC also received a refresh this summer. 

What’s New: In September, the auditorium reopened. The space has been renovated in a Hanok style, a traditional Korean architectural design that infuses spaces with natural materials. The project team added new wood columns hand-milled in Korea and accessibility improvements. Funded by an alumni donor, the project seeks to enhance knowledge and understanding of Korea, said Katherine Williams, director of Capital Projects.

Raised Crosswalk: On Sept. 4, the university finished constructing a raised crosswalk on Prospect St. behind Village A and the Healey Family Student Center.

Why It Matters: The raised crosswalk creates a safer and more accessible walkway for community members and visitors, while also easing traffic and helping drivers better see pedestrians. 

New Signs: In August, Georgetown began installing exterior signs across the Hilltop and Capitol Campuses to improve wayfinding for Hoyas and visitors to campus.

What’s New: This is the second phase of improving exterior signage. In the past two years, 46 new signs have been installed.

A Boathouse Update: Georgetown’s proposed boathouse was greenlit by the DC Zoning Commission in July. The boathouse will be located at the base of the Key Bridge and will serve as a hub for the men’s and women’s rowing teams and for the DC community to use for canoeing, paddleboarding and kayaking.

Background: The milestone follows a 2025 agreement with the National Park Service and the District of Columbia that provides the university with land along the Potomac River to build a boathouse. The Old Georgetown Board and the Commission of Fine Arts also approved the concept. 

What’s Next: In the fall, the DC Council will consider three pieces of legislation authorizing land transactions for Georgetown to proceed with developing its boathouse.

Drones and Gutter Cleaning: Georgetown is receiving some aerial help on its groundskeeping.

What’s New: At the beginning of the summer, the university began piloting drones to pressure wash buildings, clean gutters, inspect roofs and exterior buildings, and capture 3D models of the university’s grounds. The grounds crew even used drones to map underground irrigation lines, so the team can better locate and document its infrastructure below ground.

Why This Matters: The benefits are many, said Cord Johnson, director of custodial and grounds, chief among them: safety.

“Many of these activities traditionally require employees or contractors to work at heights using lifts, scaffolding, ladders or roof access,” said Johnson. “Drones can reduce that exposure while allowing us to inspect areas that may otherwise be difficult, expensive or disruptive to access.

“In many respects, we are helping establish practical use cases for drone technology within higher education facilities management.”

Capitol Campus Updates

A New Plaza: Georgetown has installed outdoor seating on a sliver of street space overlooking the U.S. Capitol on its Capitol Campus.

What’s New: First Street Plaza, across from Georgetown Law and bordered by 1st St., New Jersey Ave. and F St. NW, is a new gathering area for community members downtown. Georgetown painted a mural on the plaza and outfitted it with plants and outdoor furniture.

LEED Certification: The McCourt School of Public Policy’s headquarters just earned LEED Platinum certification— the highest LEED certification — from the U.S. Green Building Council. 

Why This Matters: The building, located at 125 E. NW in downtown Washington, DC, marks Georgetown’s 13th LEED Certified building and its second LEED Platinum building.  

“Our second LEED Platinum certification marks an important milestone in Georgetown’s fulfillment of the Laudato Si’Action plan, the university’s commitment to care for our common home,” said Ayana Thomas, associate vice president of sustainable business operations. “By achieving this honor, we continue to advance toward a better, more sustainable future for the university and the university community.”