Construction already is under way on some of the major projects at three D.C. universities that are being financed through more than half-a-billion dollars worth of bonds backed by the federal government.

The D.C. Council on Tuesday approved the Industrial Revenue Bond sale, although the city only is acting as a conduit for Georgetown, American and Howard universities to realize their capital needs. Georgetown requested up to $320 million; America asked for up to $100 million; and Howard wanted $98 million.