George Washington University
Private university in Washington, DC.
Chartered by Congress in 1821, George Washington University is a private, not-for-profit university based in Washington, DC, with a long-standing teaching and research presence in the capital region.
Last refreshed: 22 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What becomes of GW's former Ashburn campus after Amazon abandoned data centres?
Timeline for George Washington University
Mentioned in: Amazon trades Ashburn site for housing
Data Centres: Boom and BacklashBackground
George Washington University (GW) is a private, not-for-profit university based in Washington, DC. Congress chartered it in 1821. The university developed a Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn, Loudoun County, which grew to 122 acres.
Amazon Data Services bought the Ashburn property for US$427 million in March 2026. By October, Amazon had dropped plans for four data-centre buildings there and agreed to seek mixed-use redevelopment including housing. GW was the site's former owner and was not responsible for those later development proposals. Its connection to the land-use case comes from creating and operating the campus before the sale. The buyer and Loudoun County control the subsequent planning process.
What is the George Washington University?
Where was George Washington University's Virginia campus?
Why is George Washington University linked to Amazon's data-centre plan?
How much did Amazon pay for the former GW campus?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 22 October 2026. Editorial standards.