First Phase of Renovation Completed at St. Augustine High School
The Southern Cross
By Denis Grasska
Oct. 11, 2007

San Diego – The first phase in a three-phase rebuilding project at St. Augustine High School has come to a successful conclusion.

At a cost of $16.8 million, Phase 1 was the first step in a transformation of the 84-year-old, all-boys school that school officials are calling “Building Future Saints.”

The first phase included the construction of two buildings o what was once the school’s lower field, as well as underground parking for 98 vehicles, a new grass playing field ad 40 off-street parking stalls.

During the same time, the school also completed a $1 million interior renovation of Vasey Hall, which houses the school’s oldest building.

Construction was completed by early September, allowing the school to hold the grand opening of the Phase 1 building on Sept. 4, a date that also marked the 84th anniversary of the school’s 1923 opening.

“The completion of two new buildings and the remodeling of Vasey Hall will give students and faculty more technology and space to enhance the learning process,” said Edwin J. Hearn, Jr., the school’s president.

The two new building include an 18,330 square-foot, two-story structure and a 21,245 square-foot, three- story structure. The two-story building houses 14 classrooms, including four science labs, while the three-story building contains 13 classrooms, including a computer lab, as well as student services offices o the first floor and the school library o the third floor.

The two-story building, known as Mendel Hall, was named after Augustinian Father Gregor Johann Mendel who has been called “the father of modern genetics.” The three-story building, known as Villanova Hall, was named after St. Thomas of Villanova, who sent the first Augustinians to the Americas and is the namesake of Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

“The opening of Villanova ad Mendel Hall is historic ad exciting,” said Principal James Horne. “These new buildings will provide a beautiful new atmosphere for us to continue developing the minds and hearts of the young men we serve. It is that work of faculty, staff and students that happens inside these buildings that will strengthen the tradition of excellence at Saints.”“The new buildings nearly double the size of the previous campus,” said Steve Chipp, executive director of finance and facilities for St. Augustine High School, who also served as project director for Phase I.

At a total of 39,575 square-feet, the new buildings address the needs previously served by Sheehan Hall, Sullivan Hall and modular structures, which took up a combined 20,700 square-feet. The older buildings were torn down, and the new playing field and off-street parking stalls now stand in their place.

Martinez + Cutri Architects are responsible for the design of Phase I.

The massive construction and renovation project began after a series of recent campus improvements spurred increased interest among prospective students. In 2001, higher enrollment led to the installation of four portable classroom buildings. Though the City of San Diego approved the addition of portable classrooms, it also required the school to submit a facility master plan before it could receive any further permits.

Planning is underway for the next two phases.

In response to the city’s request, school administrators began a 13-months planning process, during which the school sought the feed-back of current and past members of the school community, residents of the surrounding North Park neighborhood, architects and others. The result was a three-phase master plan.

The Saints community gathered May 12 for a “last get-together” in the patio between Sheehan and Sullivan halls. It was a night of food, drink, and entertainment, as current students and alumni sat in the shadows of the two buildings, which were marked for imminent demolition. Terracotta tiles from the roof of Sullivan Hall’s covered walkway, mounted on wooden stands and decorated with the school insignia, were sold as keepsakes. The event’s proceeds funded the renovation of Vasey Hall.

Phase II will involve the construction of a gymnasium/theater complex to replace the school’s Dougherty Gymnasium. The multi-purpose building will also include a music room, wrestling room, weight-training room, locker rooms, coaches’ offices and outdoor basketball courts.

Phase III will include athletic fields, a track and off-street underground parking, as well as an increased scholarship endowment to assist those students requiring need-based tuition assistance.

Planning is underway for the second and third phases, but the start dates for construction are currently unknown.

A ceremony will be held Wednesday, Oct. 24, to dedicate Villanova and Mendel halls. The ceremony, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the patio between the two new buildings, will include brief speeches by Mayor Sanders and Saints President Hearn. It will be followed by a Mass, at which San Diego Bishop Robert H. Brom will be the presider, and Father Gary Sanders, O.S.A., prior provincial of the Augustinians in the West, will be the homilist.

During the Mass, Bishop Brom and Father Sanders will bless the new structures. After Mass, lunch will be provided and attendees will be able to tour the new buildings and the now completed renovations in Vasey Hall.

The school will also host a special open house from 1-4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 28

St. Augustine High School
3266 Nutmeg Street, San Diego, CA 92104
Phone: (619) 282-2184 | Fax: (619) 282-1203 | www.sahs.org