LEO A DALY, an internationally renowned architecture, engineering and planning firm with expertise in arts and education spaces, will lead the phased renovation of the Corcoran’s 17th Street building of George Washington University.
The firm, which already has assisted with preliminary space planning at the Corcoran, will be responsible for detailed planning as well as historically sensitive architectural design work for the renovations at the 17th Street building. Initial work will include design of roof and façade repairs, upgrades to critical infrastructure, and design of program spaces, such as computer labs, which will be used in the fall. Long-term efforts will include design to support academic programs and student needs.
The National Gallery of Art, GW, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the Corcoran College of Art + Design signed the historic collaboration agreements last year that, in part, created the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at GW and transferred ownership of the 17th Street building to the university.
“LEO A DALY brings a high level of knowledge and experience to this project and has successfully led our initial space planning efforts,” said Alicia Knight, GW’s senior associate vice president for operations. “We look forward to working with the firm as we renovate the Corcoran to ensure that it supports our students and continues to serve as a showplace for the arts.”
The firm, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, is an international leader in the practice of architecture and engineering. Its design expertise in the arts, museums and learning environments includes the Savannah College of Art and Design in Hong Kong and the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Neb. LEO A DALY is also leading the renovation of the historic Burlington Passenger Station, built in Omaha in 1898, transforming it into a state-of-the-art television studio facility for the Hearst Corporation’s ABC affiliate KETV News Watch Channel 7.
“It is a rare privilege to lead the renovation of such an iconic Beaux Arts building,” said Leo A. Daly III, chairman and CEO of LEO A DALY. “The Corcoran Building is a significant Washington landmark, just steps from the White House. Breathing new life into such a structure, while transforming its classic gallery space into a world-class arts education environment, is an architect’s dream.”
Mr. Daly, a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, serves on the Trustees’ Council of the National Gallery of Art and is a former trustee of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. A respected collector of 20th century art, Mr. Daly previously served as chairman of the American Architectural Foundation, vice chairman of the Kennedy Center International Committee, vice chairman of the National Building Museum, and on the Advisory Board of the Blair House Fine Arts Committee.
The university recently announced that it has entered into a contract for S&R Foundation to purchase the Fillmore building. The nonprofit organization intends to use it as an arts incubator supporting talented artists. The university will use funds from the sale of the Fillmore for the renovation of the 17th Street building and for programs within the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design.
