JHU acquisition expands opportunities in Washington, D.C.
Johns Hopkins finalized today the purchase of 555 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, in Washington, D.C., which will become a state-of-the art university facility for research, education, and public engagement that allows every academic division of the institution to have a presence in the nation’s capital, increasing the University’s ability to bring its research and expertise to national and global policy-making debates.
“We are delighted to move forward with expanding Johns Hopkins’ presence in the District of Columbia, and the exciting opportunities this new location brings for our Baltimore and D.C. academic programs alike,” said Mitch Bonanno, chief real estate officer for Johns Hopkins University. “This remarkable facility will become a vibrant hub for research, education, and convenings, representing a rare alignment of our mission of sharing knowledge with the world, and the ongoing growth of the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor.”
The building was previously home to the Newseum, which concluded its operations and closed to the public in December. After renovations, the facility will be anchored by the School of Advanced International Studies, while housing all Johns Hopkins academic programs currently based in Washington as well as programs from all academic divisions of the university. This new expanded presence in the district will allow for greater collaboration and flow of ideas and people between Baltimore and Washington.
“While we continue to imagine new possibilities for the space, we anticipate that students and faculty from all Hopkins programs will make use of the building,” says Lainie Rutkow, senior adviser to the president for national capital academic strategy. “It brings all D.C.-based programs together under one roof and opens the door to exciting new avenues for collaboration, impact, and opportunity for all students and faculty. This will be an extraordinary platform to broaden the national and global impact of the research and education at Johns Hopkins’ flagship campus in Baltimore.”