GM started hearing rumors a week ago about the possible sale of the historic Fillmore School building. On Friday, he heard it confirmed from reliable sources that the building was in fact sold.
The building at 1801 35th St. was built in 1892 and named after our last Whig president, Millard Fillmore. It was surplussed by the District in 1998 and bought by the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The Corcoran has since then used the property for classes and gallery space.
Word has spread that the Corcoran has sold the building to EastBanc. GM reached out to both the Corcoran and EastBanc, but neither responded to emailed inquires.
The rumor is that EastBanc intends to convert the building to condos (a plan that hasn’t worked out that well at the Wormley School). The property is zoned for R-3, which doesn’t permit apartment buildings, so by GM’s reasoning an appeal to the BZA would be necessary.
GM thinks it’s more than a bit sad for yet another historic Georgetown school building to cease operating as a school building. Perhaps there is no economically viable use for the building besides condos, but GM hopes EastBanc at least consider the possibility of leasing it out to a public charter school.
Update: Turns out that the Corcoran already issued a press release confirming the sale of the building to EastBanc.
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
I agree that it would be great to see Fillmore re-opened as a school, but the reality is that this real estate is just too expensive for the typical charter, and even for a private school with deeper pockets, such as the near-by British School, which probably would love expanding. As a stand-alone I doubt it would be large enough or offer the features most private schools are seeking.
The Wormley likely is not panning out because the developers overestimated the willingness of people to pay such high prices for condos and new “townhomes” in a historic neighborhood. The location in such a congested and often rowdy part of Georgetown also may be a factor. The experience of the old Phillips School next to Rose Park has been much more positive. Fillmore’s location is not bad for condos despite lack of easy metro access. As for zoning, perhaps a coop construction could obviate this issue?
If they get rid of the playground that Corcoran built for the families of Burleith, there may be riots. I’m not kidding.
Ken, that was one if the questions I directed to EastBanc, but they never responded. I agree that that would be a strong point of contention as it was when the Corcoran first moved in.
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