Berkley is a neighborhood in the
Northwest
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each ...
quadrant of
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Geography
Berkley is bounded by
Wesley Heights Park to the north, MacArthur Boulevard to the southwest,
Battery Kemble Park to the west, and 44th Street and Foxhall Road to the east. Beyond the line formed by 44th and Foxhall lies
Glover-Archbold Park, meaning that Berkley is surrounded on three sides by parkland. Its fourth side is adjacent to two neighborhoods,
Foxhall and
The Palisades, and as such is sometimes confused for them.
Landmarks
Berkley is a suburban-style neighborhood, naturally isolated from the more cosmopolitan parts of the city by its location between parks. It is home to the
Embassy of Germany and
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, presi ...
's Mt. Vernon campus.
It was also very nearly the site of an
official residence
An official residence is the residence of a head of state, head of government, governor, religious leader, leaders of international organizations, or other senior figure. It may be the same place where they conduct their work-related functions.
...
of the
mayor of Washington, D.C.
The mayor of the District of Columbia is the head of the executive branch of the government of the District of Columbia, in the United States. The mayor has the duty to enforce district laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed ...
, in 2001 when Betty Brown Casey, widow of millionaire
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
real estate developer
Real estate development, or property development, is a business process, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of developed land or parcels to others. ...
Eugene B. Casey, donated of land at 1801 Foxhall Road to the city for the purpose of a mayoral mansion. However, the city was bogged down for nearly a year in attempting to purchase adjacent land from the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government within the United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of ...
; additionally, many vocal city activists and residents felt that for a city marked by increasing
gentrification
Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the ...
and socioeconomic diversity, building a mayoral residence in such a wealthy enclave sent a bad message. The city ultimately gave up on the project in 2003 and ceded the land to the
Salvation Army
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its ...
.
References
Neighborhoods in Northwest (Washington, D.C.)
{{WashingtonDC-geo-stub