Their work is not entirely done, but Nazareth Academy took time to celebrate completion of the first phase of a building project that is intended to transform the Catholic high school in La Grange Park.
Members of the school community got the chance on Sunday to tour the recently completed first phase of a two-phase, $13 million capital improvement program. They got a look at the new building that is known as the Walsh Center and contains classrooms, a gymnasium and fitness space.
Some students tried out some of the new exercise equipment housed in the building named in honor of Matt and Joyce Walsh of Walsh Construction. The couple’s son, Matthew, graduated from Nazareth Academy in 1987.
“They’ve been loyal supporters and are the contractors of the building,” said Dennis Moran, president of the school that has 776 students.
Alena Murguia, public relations coordinator for the school, said hundreds of people attended a Mass and dedication of the new facility in the morning and toured the building in the afternoon. The 49,000-square-feet structure has nine classrooms that are being used for fine arts classes such as band, art and drama, and for religion classes.
“Everyone who came through the new building was impressed and very happy that our students will soon be moving into these new spaces,” Murgia said. “The students themselves had a sneak peek after school Friday and were eager to see if they would have any classes in the new rooms.”
The new building also boasts a fitness center in the basement that has free weights, a two-lane track, cardio and wrestling rooms. It has a gymnasium on the top floor that will mean students no longer have to go off-site to practice their sports. It will open to students the week after Thanksgiving, Murguia said.
The school previously had just one gymnasium. Students used park district facilities and other facilities in the community to practice sports. As a result, they often did not finish practices until 9 or 9:30 p.m, Moran said.
“Now our kids are out of the building at 7 or 7:30 at night,” he said. “We can help our kids get home at an earlier hour.”
The new gymnasium has two full-size basketball courts and volleyball courts.
“Our goal is to use it as a practice facility, but it will be large enough for a game,” Moran said.
In the next phase of work to be done, the school will renovate a building that was constructed in the 1920s. The work will start in December and will include adding new heating and air conditioning equipment, making it accessible, and making lighting and other upgrades.
The building that will be renovated has 12 classrooms and that number will remain the same, but the space will be more flexible, said principal Deborah Tracy.
The process of gutting and improving the old building is scheduled to be finished by the start of the 2017 school year.
While that work is being done there will be six mobile classrooms on the campus.
Moran said the work to raise money and make plans for the capital improvements began in 2014.
In the future, he said the school plans to take over maintenance and operations of a chapel that is used by the Congregation of St. Joseph, which plans to build a smaller chapel.
Moran said the school is excited about the new spaces.
“When 2017 rolls around we will be in some new digs here,” Moran said.
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