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Syracuse University will close and sell the Greenberg House, the university’s only building in Washington, D.C., an SU official announced Wednesday.

The Greenberg House, which SU purchased in 1988, served as the university’s Washington D.C. headquarters. The building can no longer provide the necessary classroom, office and event space SU needs and will be vacated and placed on the market, said Matt Ter Molen, chief advancement officer and senior vice president of advancement and external affairs. 

An increasing number of Washington, D.C. programs now take place at other locations and via virtual forums, Ter Molen said. 

The four-story building also does not comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and modifications would be “costly and impractical,” he said. Located at 2301 Calvert Street NW., the Greenberg House is named after Paul Greenberg, a Class of 1965 graduate who gave the naming gift of about $1 million. Greenberg is a life trustee on SU’s Board of Trustees.

SU will look to use academic, research and scholarship programs and work with alumni, government leaders and policymakers to expand its footprint in the district, Ter Molen said. 

Property records show that the building was assessed for $5,171,270 in 2020. SU initially spent $2.5 million to purchase and renovate the building, university archives show.

Published on August 20, 2020 at 9:50 am

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3