Georgetown University Law Center will delay construction on a new building at the Capitol Campus until Summer 2027, a spokesperson confirmed to The Hoya on April 8.
The $200 million academic building downtown — now named after Daniel Tsai (LAW ’79), who contributed $30 million to fundraising efforts — is slated to replace the Sarah and Bernard Gewirz Student Center. The university began planning its construction in 2020 and filed for an extension on the planned construction March 27 citing rising construction costs and changes in university and Law Center leadership.
The original agreement required the university to apply for a permit to begin demolition on the Gewirz Student Center by April 5, 2026.
The university said construction costs — which have risen by 3.6% in the last year, according to a study by the Associated General Contractors of America — have caused delays to construction at the Capitol Campus.
“The university moved forward with advanced design of the project and completed construction drawings in 2024,” the spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. “Despite these diligent efforts, by the time the design was complete and the project went out for bid, construction costs had already risen and the cost of the project significantly exceeded earlier estimates. Construction costs have only continued to rise in the past two years, and the high cost of construction, labor and materials have complicated the economics of the project.”
The university spokesperson said unplanned changes — including the appointments of Georgetown’s incoming president, Eduardo M. Peñalver, and Law Center dean, Liz Magill — led the university to file for an extension.
“Additional time is also necessary given recent leadership changes at the university, which will welcome both a new president and a new dean of the Law Center in summer 2026,” the spokesperson added.
The new building was included in the university’s initial plans for expanding the Capitol Campus in 2024. Tsai’s gift was the largest singular donation in Georgetown’s history at the time.
According to zoning filings, the new Daniel Tsai Hall will include multiple recreational spaces for students and connect to Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy.
“The program consists of classroom space, office space for faculty and the Law Center’s clinics, and event space,” the filing reads. “The northeast corner of the ground floor features publicly accessible retail or cafe space. The project will connect directly to the Ginsburg Sports and Fitness Center and a pedestrian walkway will be constructed over Chews Court alley to connect with the McCourt School of Public Policy to the south of the property.”
Tsai Hall, as currently planned, will not include housing for law students. The Gewirz Student Center provides housing for up to 290 students, according to the university’s website.
The filing says the university plans to redesign the building to lower construction costs.
“In light of these economic realities, the university is currently undertaking a redesign of
the project with the goal of reducing the total construction costs,” the filing reads. “Given the complexities of the building and the limited footprint, the university needs additional time to complete the redesign while ensuring that the project remains within budget targets.”
“Once these steps are complete, the university intends to return to the Commission to
request a modification of the approved plans for the project,” the filing adds. “The university remains committed to the project and is actively pursuing the necessary approvals.”
The spokesperson said Georgetown remains committed to building Tsai Hall.
“The university will continue to share updates as the project moves forward,” the spokesperson wrote. “We remain confident that the building will be an extraordinary addition to the Law Center and the Capitol Campus.”
