Holy Cross has confirmed selling a portion of its property to a development company that will build a senior living residence and townhouses. The school will use the proceeds to improve the exterior and interior of the building, as well as create a Sports Center. 

There will be many improvements to Holy Cross campus in this campaign, transforming it into an ADA-compliant school, such as adding ramps, and building a future sports center near to the turf field.  

Having an ADA-compliant school will benefit students who are in wheelchairs and are unable to go downstairs to the lower levels. 

“There will be a small lift which will be accessible for people in wheelchairs or handicap,” school president Katy Prebble shared.

There have been focus groups as well as surveys that have been sent out to alumni and people affiliated with Holy Cross to hear ideas to improve the school. 

“What we did was a feasibility study and what that means is we bring in focus groups, surveys, families that are affiliated with Holy Cross students, alumni, donors,” We talked through what the school needs and made a plan based on that,” Prebble  expressed.

For certain projects like these, money is a major factor. Receiving money from donors as well as alumni is very important for making the plan happen. 

“We are actively working with donors from everybody, so not just alumni. Parents and people who are affiliated with Holy Cross,” Prebble explained 

Receiving the money from the property sale has helped the school greatly with funding the new improvements.

“The current sales price is an ongoing negotiation,” Prebble said. 

With school improvements Holy Cross has many ideas, and one of the priorities is a new sports building. 

“Probably the biggest and most glamorous piece is that we will be building a new gym, this gym will be located on the lower field next to the turf field,” Prebble shared. “This will include a gym and locker rooms.” 

As a part of the improvements to the building, the cafeteria will be relocated to the existing gym space and the student commons as well as front offices will be created where the cafeteria is currently.

“This will be taking time; however, once the new gym is built then our plan, which might change, will be to convert the old gym into a new student commons with a new kitchen serving area,” Prebble stated. “However, that will definitely be a couple years down the line.” 

Due to the development company purchasing the land on the freshman soccer field as well as near the front gates to build on, the entrance to the campus will be relocated.

“We are going to have a whole new entrance,” Prebble explained. “They will relocate the entryway because of the way the development is going to be built. We will be having new signs in different locations.” 

Processes like this take time especially when trying to find contractors as well as other people who are involved.

“The ADA part we are hoping to get done soon, but the actual building that will be the gym as well as the driveway will probably take three years,” Prebble explained. “Because the developers can’t start doing the actual work until we get through all the approvals.”

The sale will benefit Holy Cross in many ways. The improvements that will be made will help the athletic program as well as modernize and improve the school’s appeal. Holy Cross is always trying to find new ways to make improvements.

“We saw this as an opportunity to improve and modernize the exterior as well as the interior of the school,” principal John Sullivan expressed.