Lafayette Hall is a co-ed student residence hall on the Foggy Bottom campus at 2100 I St. Lafayette will be a 2nd year only residence hall for the 2024-2025 school year.
Lafayette Hall
Location[]
Lafayette Hall is located on the north side of the Foggy Bottom campus. It is directly behind the Marvin Center and down the street from the Foggy Bottom metro station.
Building and Room Structure[]
Lafayette Hall consists of 8 floors and one basement of 1 hallway per floor. Rooms are single-sex; floors are co-ed.
Breakdown of available room types:
- 76% of residents will reside in doubles
- 24% of residents will reside in triples
Amenities and Features[]
- Weekly housekeeping
- Tv lounge/lobby area
- Study area in basement
- Laundry room in basement
- Community kitchen in basement
- Room specific: Study area with desk and chairs, private bathroom, two twin long beds, microfridge, cable tv capabilities, individual high speed internet, and individual phone line.
History[]
(the following comes from the GW Hatchet article "Within These Walls", written in 2003 by Liz Bartolomeo, found at http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2003/06/16/Features/Within.These.Walls-439410.shtml)
Lafayette Hall has undergone three name changes in the past 40 years. John C. Calhoun Hall first offered housing for male students in the 1963-1964 school year. Calhoun, a native of South Carolina, served as vice president under John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, in addition to being a member of Congress. However, Calhoun was a defender of slavery. During the Civil Rights movement, the building's name was changed to John Quincy Adams Hall because of Calhoun's background. Adams was the nation's sixth president and one of the first supporters of the Columbian College. The above is incorrect. The hall was named Calhoun at least until 1985. I lived in the hall from Fall, 1981 through Spring, 1983. The hall was named Adams sometime after 1985. It was still Calhoun Hall in 1989 when I graduated.
In 1998, Adams Hall became Lafayette Hall to recognize the Marquis de Lafayette's connection to the University and George Washington. Lafayette attended the Columbian College's first Commencement in 1824, where he shook the hand of every graduate.
In May 2012, the university announced that Lafayette Hall would no longer house freshmen; instead, it would be used to house the university's "transfer student community." This decision is not expected to be permanent, given the impending shortage of beds resulting from the construction of the "superdorm."
As of the 2013-2014 academic year, Lafayette once again housed freshmen.
Pros[]
Calhoun Hall was renamed Adams Hall in 1987. That was also the first year that allowed women to dorm there. I lived on the third floor that year.
Cons[]
- The elevator in Lafayette Hall is one of, if not the, smallest elevators that can comfortably fix a maximum of 3-4 people with backpacks. The elevator also frequently breaks down.
- There are two sets of stairs - one in the back that with steps at max 36" wide, and one around the elevator which the stair-goer gets out on each floor.
Other Residence Halls Like This One[]
Other facts[]
I lived in Calhoun Hall in 1963-1964 , and the elevator broke down frequently at that time. ! How about a service call-LOL
I lived in Calhoun 1968-9. My room was on the 8th floor 21st St. side. We threw water balloons out the window at unsuspecting people walking down the sidewalk. We were sent to the deans office office and reprimanded but not expelled. I grew up to be a respected physician in the Md suburbs. No comment on the others involved.