By Elizabeth Lowe
Twitter: @ReviewLowe
Mount St. Joseph High School officials announced Oct. 9 the school’s largest capital project in its 136-year history.
The $18.5 million athletic construction project is the second of a three phase project, part of the Irvington school’s Campaign for Mount Saint Joseph: Building Men Who Matter.
“I feel obligated to get this done,” said George Andrews Jr., president of Mount St. Joseph, referring to Xaverian Brother James M. Kelly, the school’s former president who died Dec. 3.
Brother James initiated the project, said Andrews, who called it “a new turning point for the Mount.”
To navigate a slideshow of the event, click on the arrrows below.
A portion of the project, the second of three phases, includes a new 58,000-square-foot athletic facility with an additional basketball court, concession stand, wrestling room, men’s locker rooms, training suite and fitness center.
Phase II also includes the renovation of the existing 30,000-square-foot gymnasium. Renovations include replacing the roof, windows and plumbing and new classrooms, office space and women’s and visiting team locker rooms.
More than 800 donors have contributed $9.75 million to Phase II thus far, Andrews said.
The project is expected to be completed in spring 2014.
“They’re (students) going to have the finest athletic facilities in all of Baltimore,” Andrews said.
The final phase of the campaign will include the renovation of the baseball field and new tennis courts, said Emily Rollins, the school’s executive director of development.
Phase I of the campaign, completed in 2008, included the construction of the school’s stadium, track, turf field and a pedestrian bridge connecting classrooms and athletic facilities.
Sophomore Matthew Hostutler, who plays JV football at the school, “can’t wait” for the new facilities, particularly the new locker rooms. He expects them to be less cramped.
Kraig Loovis, athletic director at Mount St. Joseph, said the new facilities will “benefit generations and generations of students.”
“This will be the jewel of the campus,” said Loovis, who noted every student will use the facilities, from students in physical education classes to student athletes.
Copyright (c) Oct. 10, 2012 CatholicReview.org