The Catholic University of America is located in the Brookland area of northeast Washington, DC. The University's business and mailing address is 620 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20064.
Geographic descriptions of campus areas are listed below. The University also leases space for academic programs in Alexandria, VA (2050 Ballenger Avenue, Suite 200), Tucson, AZ (on the downtown campus of Pima Community College, 1255 North Stone Avenue) and in Rome, Italy (Via Garibaldi, 28).
CAMPUS AREA BOUNDARIES
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Main Campus
Main Campus (approximately 95.3 acres) is bounded by Michigan Avenue, NE; Harewood Road, NE; John McCormack Road, NE; and Taylor Street, NE. The University's academic, administrative, and many student life and residential facilities are located on Main Campus. -
North Campus
North Campus (approximately 37 acres) is bounded by John McCormack Road, NE; Taylor Street, NE; Bates Road, NE; Hawaii Avenue, NE; and Fort Totten Drive, NE. The University's athletic and recreational facilities are located on North Campus. -
West Campus
West Campus (approximately 41.1 acres) is bounded by Harewood Road, NE; Michigan Avenue, NE; Irving Street, NE; North Capitol Street, NE; and the property line with the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. Scale Gate Road is a private University road running east-west in the northern part of West Campus that is accessed from North Capitol Street, NE, and Harewood Road, NE. West Campus is primarily undeveloped, though approximately 25 acres of the parcel now houses a solar energy installation. -
"South Campus"
The old “South Campus” (approximately 8.9 acres) was comprised of 5 parcels of land bounded by Michigan Avenue, NE, Kearny Street, NE, the WMATA/CSX train tracks, and the property line with the Dominican House of Studies. These parcels were ground-leased to a commercial developer in 2011 and redeveloped into a mixed-use (retail/residential/cultural) complex that includes Monroe Street Market and the Barnes and Noble University Bookstore.
GROUND CIRCULATION NETWORK
Catholic University’s ground circulation system is comprised of city streets, internal campus public roads, internal shared-use pathways, bike paths, campus shuttle routes, and pedestrian paths and sidewalks. Shared-use pathways are primarily pedestrian, but also accommodate emergency and official service vehicles at times.
Not all buildings are accessible via public roads; therefore, the campus community must be mindful of locational addresses given out to visitors, ride-sharing companies, and delivery services. For your pick-up or delivery address, please provide the closest building to you that has an address on a District of Columbia city street or one of the internal campus public access roads described below. You will need to meet the driver there.
The University’s business/mailing address, 620 Michigan Avenue NE, is not assigned to any one building, but rather, that address is assigned to the University Gateway and principal campus entrance on Michigan Avenue, NE, where Seventh Street NE ends and University Drive, NE begins.
District of Columbia City Streets
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Michigan Avenue, NE
Michigan Avenue, NE, runs along the southern border of Main Campus.
The mailing address and main entrance for The Catholic University of America campus is 620 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington DC 20064 at the intersection of Michigan Avenue, NE, Seventh Street, NE and University Drive, NE.
No Main Campus buildings have an address on Michigan Avenue, NE. The service area (rear service entrance and fire department connection) for Father O’Connell Hall is on Michigan Avenue, NE; however, the front door address for Father O’Connell Hall is 611 Alumni Lane, NE.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is located at 400 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20017. The vehicular access at the main entrance, called Basilica Circle, connects to Catholic University’s campus at the west end of Alumni Lane.
The Theological College building, which houses The National Seminary of The Catholic University of America, is located at 401 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20017, across from the Basilica.
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Harewood Road, NE
Harewood Road, NE, runs along the western border of Main Campus and the eastern border of West Campus.
University buildings with addresses on Harewood Road, NE, are: Leahy Hall (3701), Hartke Theatre (3801), and Nugent Hall (3901). While Leahy Hall’s front/main door entrance is on Divinity Way, its rear door and loading dock are on Harewood Road, NE. The Marian Scholasticate, which is not a University-owned property, had a pre-existing address of 3885 Harewood Road, NE; however, its front entrance faces the internal campus road called Persico Way, NE.
The gate on Harewood Road at Scale Gate Road is the entrance to the West Campus, 3750 Harewood Road, NE.
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John McCormack Road, NE
John McCormack Road, NE, runs along the eastern border of both Main and North campuses.
University buildings with addresses on John McCormack Road, NE, are: McCarthy Building (3594), Maintenance (Stucco) Building (3592), Power Plant (3590), University Garage (3598), Columbus School of Law (3600) Millennium South (3804), Ryan Hall (3808), St. Vincent de Paul Chapel (3812), Regan Hall (3816), Millennium North (3820), Flather Hall (3912), new Residence Hall (4004), Opus Hall (4006), DuFour Athletic Center (4400).
The loading/service doors to Maloney Hall, Gowan Hall, Nursing-Biology and McCort-Ward Hall are accessed from a curb cut and small parking area at the south end of John McCormack Road, NE, just north of its intersection with Michigan Avenue, NE. The loading/service doors to Pangborn Hall are accessed from the Pangborn Parking Lot on John McCormack Road, NE.
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Taylor Street, NE
Taylor Street, NE, runs along the northern border of Main Campus and the southern border of North Campus.
No University buildings have an address on Taylor Street, NE.
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Bates Road, NE
Bates Road, NE, runs along the northern border of North Campus between Fort Totten Drive, NE, and John McCormack Road, NE.
The only University facility on Bates Road, NE, is the Carlini Field complex and parking area (4901). DC’s Fort Totten Solid Waste Disposal Transfer Station (4900 John McCormack Road, NE) is on the north side of Bates Road, NE across from Carlini Field.
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Hawaii Avenue, NE
Hawaii Avenue, NE, runs along the western border of North Campus.
No University buildings have an address on Hawaii Avenue, NE.
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Fort Totten Drive, NE
Fort Totten Drive, NE, runs along the western border of North Campus.
No University buildings have an address on Fort Totten Drive, NE.
Internal Campus Public Access Roads
Internal campus public access roads provide vehicular access from DC city streets bounding campus.
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University Drive, NE
University Drive, NE, is the main road through campus. It connects the University Gateway and principal campus entrance at the intersection of Michigan Avenue, NE, and Seventh Street, NE, at its south end with Harewood Road, NE, at its west terminus.
University buildings on University Drive, NE, are: Maloney Hall (700), Crough Center (650), Mullen Library (601), Shahan Hall (555), McMahon Hall (500) and Ward Hall (348). The Seton Wing of Caldwell Hall and the building’s accessible entrance faces University Drive, NE but does not have an address independent of Caldwell Hall (3721 Divinity Way).
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Persico Way, NE
Persico Way, NE, is a public access road into campus from Harewood Road, NE, providing access to the Marian Scholasticate (a non-University facility with a pre-existing address of 3885 Harewood Road, NE) and to Divinity Way.
No University buildings have an address on Persico Way, NE; however, Persico Way, NE, provides public vehicular access to Curley Hall (3861 Divinity Way) and Curley Hall South (3851 Divinity Way).
Persico Way was named in recognition of Frank Persico, CUA alumnus and long-time University employee and leader.
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Fort Slemmer Drive, NE
Fort Slemmer Drive, NE, is a public access road into campus from Harewood Road, NE, providing move-in/move-out access to Centennial Circle and ending in the cul-de-sac at Kane Student Health Center.
University buildings on Fort Slemmer Drive, NE, are: Grounds Maintenance (300), O’Boyle Hall (305), Marist Annex (403), Marist Hall (405), and Kane Student Health Center (604). Note that while O’Boyle Hall’s front door entrance faces south at the northern terminus of the Divinity Way axis, the building’s accessible entrance is on the north/rear side facing the O’Boyle Parking Lot on Fort Slemmer Drive. The rear door and loading dock for Aquinas Hall is on Fort Slemmer Drive; however, the front door address for Aquinas Hall is 3885 Observatory Walk.
Fort Slemmer was one of seven temporary earthwork forts part of the Civil War Defenses of Washington, DC. Partial remains of the fort area are still visible on the tree-covered knoll north of Marist Hall.
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Thea Bowman Drive, NE
Thea Bowman Drive, NE, is a public access road into campus from John McCormack Road, NE, and runs along the northern edge of the University Lawn.
University buildings with addresses on Thea Bowman Drive, NE, are: Pryzbyla University Center (601) and Garvey Hall (602). The north door and loading dock of the Pryzbyla Center and the south entrance and loading dock to Garvey Hall (dining commons) are accessible from Thea Bowman Drive, NE.
In addition, the rear entrance and loading dock of Hannan Hall is accessed from Thea Bowman Drive, NE; however, the front door address for Hannan Hall is 3775 Observatory Walk.
The north loading dock entrance for the Columbus School of Law can also be entered from Thea Bowman Drive, NE.
Thea Bowman Drive is named for Sr. Thea Bowman, the first African American member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and an alumna of Catholic University. Sr. Thea was elevated to a Servant of God by the US Bishops in November 2018, placing her on the path to sainthood.
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Alumni Lane, NE
Alumni Lane, NE, is a public campus access road that runs parallel to Michigan Avenue, NE, internal to the campus, between University Drive, NE, and the Basilica Circle.
University buildings with addresses on Alumni Lane, NE, are: Gibbons Hall (525), McGivney Hall (552), Father O’Connell Hall (611), and the new Conway School of Nursing building (615).
Internal Campus Shared-Use Paths and Access Ways
Shared-use paths and access ways are primarily pedestrian, but also accommodate emergency vehicle access and scheduled service and delivery vehicle access.
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Divinity Way
Divinity Way is an existing campus roadway that will eventually be converted to a shared use pathway between University Drive, NE, and Perisco Way, NE; its extension northward beyond Persico Way, NE, to O'Boyle Hall has stairs and is for pedestrian use only.
University buildings with addresses on Divinity Way are: Caldwell Hall (3721), Salve Regina Hall (3751), Curley Hall (3861) and Curley Hall South (3851). Leahy Hall’s front/main entrance is on Divinity Way, but its registered address is 3701 Harewood Road, NE.
Divinity Way was named in recognition of the University’s oldest building, which was called Divinity Hall when its cornerstone was laid in 1888. The building was renamed Caldwell Hall a few years later.
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Observatory Walk
Observatory Walk is primarily pedestrian with emergency and scheduled service vehicle access from McMahon Hall to Persico Way, NE; the pathway north to Marist Hall has steps and is pedestrian only.
University buildings with addresses on Observatory Walk are: Hannan Hall (3775) and Aquinas Hall (3885).
Note that the rear entrance and loading dock of Hannan Hall are accessed from Thea Bowman Drive, NE, and that the rear door and loading dock for Aquinas Hall are accessed from Fort Slemmer Drive, NE.
Observatory Walk was named for the University’s astronomical observatory that was erected in 1890 and destroyed by fire in 1924. The only remnant of the building is a low, brick foundation with a metal mount located near the walkway.
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Centennial Circle
Centennial Circle is primarily pedestrian with emergency and scheduled service vehicle access from the cul-de-sac at the terminus of Fort Slemmer Drive, NE. All of the main entrances to the Centennial Village resident halls face Centennial Circle.
University buildings with addresses on Centennial Circle are: Walton House (522), McDonald House (524), Unanue House (526), Engelhard House (528), Quinn House (530), Reardon House (532), and Camalier House (534).
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Cardinal Walk
Cardinal Walk is primarily pedestrian use only, with emergency and scheduled service vehicle access to Crough Center and Pryzbyla University Center. It connects to Pope Leo Lane and the new University Gateway plaza at its south end with Thea Bowman Drive at its north end.
No University buildings have an address on Cardinal Walk.
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Pope Leo Lane
Pope Leo Lane is the primary pedestrian path onto campus from the Brookland/CUA metro station. The path was created during the Campus Energy Project in 2019-2020 to replace Pangborn Road. A formal Campus Gateway greets pedestrians arriving from the metro. Pope Leo Lane connects John McCormack Road, NE, with Cardinal Walk and allows for emergency access and scheduled service vehicle access to buildings on its path.
University buildings with addresses on Pope Leo Lane are: McCort-Ward Hall (721), Nursing Biology Building (731), Gowan Hall (751) and Pangborn Hall (740).
Pope Leo Lane was named in honor of Pope Leo XIII. On April 10, 1887, Pope Leo XIII sent a letter to Cardinal James Gibbons, archbishop of Baltimore, giving his formal approval for the founding of The Catholic University of America.
Alphabetical Listing of Buildings with Campus Addresses
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Building Addresses
Aquinas Hall 3885 Observatory Walk (rear door and loading door accessed from Fort Slemmer Drive, NE) Caldwell Hall 3721 Divinity Way Carlini Field Complex 4901 Bates Road, NE CV Camalier House 534 Centennial Circle CV Engelhard House 528 Centennial Circle CV McDonald House 524 Centennial Circle CV Quinn House 530 Centennial Circle CV Reardon House 532 Centennial Circle CV Unanue House 526 Centennial Circle CV Walton House 522 Centennial Circle Columbus School of Law 3600 John McCormack Road, NE Crough Center 650 University Drive, NE (loading at north end of building requires scheduled access from Cardinal Walk, a shared-use path) Curley Hall 3861 Divinity Way Curley South 3851 Divinity Way DuFour Athletic Center 4400 John McCormack Road, NE Father O'Connell Hall 611 Alumni Lane, NE (rear service door and fire department connection accessed from Michigan Avenue, NE) Flather Hall 3912 John McCormack Road, NE Gibbons Hall 525 Alumni Lane, NE Gowan Hall 751 Pope Leo Lane Grounds Complex 300 Fort Slemmer Drive, NE Hannan Hall 3775 Observatory Walk (loading dock accessed from Thea Bowman Drive, NE) Hartke Theatre 3801 Harewood Road, NE Kane Student Health and Fitness Center 604 Fort Slemmer Drive, NE Leahy Hall 3701 Harewood Road, NE (front/main door entrance on Divinity Way) Maintenance (Stucco) Building 3592 John McCormack Road, NE Maloney Hall 700 University Drive, NE (loading door accessed from John McCormack Road, NE) Marist Annex 403 Fort Slemmer Drive, NE Marist Hall 405 Fort Slemmer Drive, NE McCort-Ward Hall 721 Pope Leo Lane McGivney Hall 552 Alumni Lane, NE McMahon Hall 500 University Drive, NE Millennium North 3820 John McCormack Road, NE Millennium South 3804 John McCormack Road, NE Mullen Library 601 University Drive, NE Nugent Hall 3901 Harewood Road, NE Nursing-Biology Building 731 Pope Leo Lane O'Boyle Hall 305 Fort Slemmer Drive, NE Opus Hall 4006 John McCormack Road, NE Pangborn Hall 740 Pope Leo Lane (loading door accessed from Pangborn Lot) Power Plant 3590 John McCormack Road, NE Pryzbyla University Center 601 Thea Bowman Drive, NE (East entrance faces Cardinal Walk, West entrance faces Observatory Walk / McMahon Lot; North entrance and loading dock accessed from Thea Bowman Drive, NE) Regan Hall 3816 John McCormack Road, NE Ryan Hall 3808 John McCormack Road, NE St. Vincent de Paul Chapel 3812 John McCormack Road, NE Salve Regina Hall 3751 Divinity Way Shahan Hall 555 University Drive, NE University Garage 3598 John McCormack Road, NE Ward Hall 348 University Drive, NE Garvey Hall 602 Thea Bowman Drive, NE New Conway School of Nursing Building 615 Alumni Lane, NE West Campus 3750 Harewood Road, NE