GU Considers Buying Maryland Campus

Georgetown University and Montgomery College have both emerged as potential buyers of the 47-acre National Labor College campus in Silver Spring, Md.

Georgetown is in the preliminary stages of considering the space as a location for conferences and athletic fields and has made no official offer, according to university spokesperson Stacy Kerr.

“Any time a large plot of land becomes available in the area, Georgetown is a natural [institution] to approach,” Kerr said. “We are in a very preliminary stage of the talks at the moment.”

The National Labor College, located just off the Capital Beltway in Silver Spring, serves as the educational center for the American labor movement, according to the school’s website.

But mounting financial issues and an annual deficit of over $6 million have forced the college to sell its campus. Courses and accreditation, however, will continue through online courses.

Montgomery College officials have already toured the site, which is located just four miles down the street from their Takoma Park campus.

“[Deciding what to do with the campus] would be discussed before we take any further action. It’s not just one building. It’s quite a large space and a few buildings, so before we make any bid or offer, we would discuss that,” said Elizabeth Homan, spokesperson for Montgomery College.

Neither school is expected to make an official bid in the near future, but discussions are ongoing.

“These things take a really long time,” Kerr said.