Georgetown University in Washington DC

Georgetown University Campus Locksmith

Georgetown University has been educating students on its hilltop campus since 1789, making it the oldest Jesuit university in the country and one of DC’s most architecturally diverse campuses. From the Flemish Romanesque towers of Healy Hall to the glass-and-steel of the Healey Family Student Center, the range of building types creates locksmith challenges unique to Georgetown.

Georgetown Campus Overview

• Main Campus104-acre hilltop in Georgetown neighborhood. Mix of 19th-century stone buildings and contemporary additions connected by covered walkways and courtyards.
• Medical CenterGeorgetown University Hospital and School of Medicine. Hospital security operates under healthcare-specific access requirements (HIPAA areas, pharmacy, controlled substances).
• Law CenterSeparate campus on Capitol Hill near Union Station. Urban setting with high public foot traffic and evening class schedules.
• School of Continuing StudiesDowntown locations for professional and graduate programs. Leased office space requiring security modifications.

Building-Specific Security Needs

Building	Era	Lock Challenges
Healy Hall	1879	Original mortise locks, ornate escutcheons, thick stone walls limit wiring options
Copley Hall	1931	Historic residential dormitory with individual room locks requiring annual rekeying
Village A/B/C	1980s-90s	Apartment-style student housing with suite locks, individual bedroom locks, and common area access
Yates Field House	1979	Athletic facility with locker rooms, equipment storage, and student/staff mixed access
Lauinger Library	1970	Extended hours requiring electronic access after staffed hours, special collections security
McDonough School of Business	2009	Modern card access, classroom locks, executive education suite security
Reiss Science Building	1962	Research labs with controlled access, chemical storage, and equipment security

Historic Lock Restoration at Georgetown

Georgetown’s oldest buildings present a preservation challenge that most locksmiths can’t handle:

• Original mortise lock bodies: we repair rather than replace whenever possible. Original lock mechanisms from the 1880s through 1930s can often be refurbished with new springs, levers, and pins while keeping the original case and trim.
• Decorative escutcheons and rosettes: the ornamental plates around lock cylinders on Healy Hall and White-Gravenor are historically significant. We install modern high-security cylinders behind the original trim.
• Skeleton key conversion: some interior doors in older buildings still use warded (skeleton key) locks. We convert these to pin-tumbler security while preserving the original furniture.
• Master keying historic locks: incorporating old mortise locks into a modern master key system requires specialized pinning and sometimes custom key blanks. We accomplish this without modifying the lock body.

Student Housing Security Program

Georgetown’s residential halls serve thousands of students across different housing types:

• Traditional dorms (Copley, Harbin, Darnall): individual room locks with RA master access, building card entry, and emergency lockout response.
• Apartment-style (Village A/B/C, Henle): suite entry locks, individual bedroom locks, and building perimeter access. Multiple residents sharing a suite complicates key management.
• Townhouse/off-campus affiliated: Georgetown-owned townhouses in the neighborhood with residential-grade hardware and independent keying.

Annual cycle: Full rekeying of all student-occupied rooms during summer, key issuance during August move-in, lost key response during the semester, and key collection during May move-out.

Call (202) 830-0706 for Georgetown University locksmith services.