Earlier this year, Jesuit Dallas commenced two construction projects on campus. These projects mark the continuation of our school’s revitalization and expansion since the completion last year of the David A. Segal Family Aquatic Center and Melsheimer Family Theater. On Sept. 30, 2022, I had the opportunity to conduct an interview with Mr. Alex Soich, Vice President of Finance & Operations of Jesuit Dallas.
Overall, who formulated the ideas of the construction projects?
The idea of constructing the fieldhouse was formulated and planned by our school’s administration. As for the plaza in front of the Terry Center, the idea originated while working with one of our donor families.
What led to the decision of constructing the fieldhouse? What are the current logistics and plans?
We wanted to build the fieldhouse for athletic teams that didn’t have defined practice spaces on campus. Additionally, we lacked enough field space for our teams, and we had issues of teams not being able to practice right after school. This forced many teams, such as lacrosse, to push their practices into the late afternoon or early evening. The administration had a desire to add more space and fields for many of our teams to practice simultaneously.
With regards to the fieldhouse, rowing and wrestling are being relocated to a space on campus better suited for their needs. Indoor rowing machines are being moved to the fieldhouse. In addition, construction will include the installation of an indoor rowing tank, and there will also be dedicated spaces for golf and cycling.
Regarding the rowing tank, I think that it is a colossal feat of engineering in terms of how it can enhance our crew athletes’ techniques. Our hope is that the fieldhouse and equipment within the facility will also be used for academic purposes.
Lastly, on campus parking has been increasingly scarce especially with the rise of student drivers in the sophomore class. When we built the David A. Segal Family Aquatic Center, we knew we were losing parking spots, so we had to add more spaces. Because of these reasons, during the first phase of the construction project, we built the Anderson Lot.
What led to the decision of renovating the plaza next to the Terry Center?
While working with a donor family, we discussed the plaza in between the Terry Center and athletic center. These facilities were constructed at different times, and collectively, we felt the plaza between these two buildings could be improved.
With the pandemic in the spring of 2020, we realized that more outdoor space for our students to congregate was essential. At that time, outdoor spaces were used for students to take off their masks, but we also saw the need for additional outdoor spaces beyond the pandemic.
What will the plaza be used for and what will it look like?
The plaza will have a large circular seating area next to the Terry Center, which can be seen as an extension of Xavier Mall.
To the east of the circular seating, there will be a beautiful water feature and additional seating along its northern edge. This will not only allow for more areas for students to congregate but areas to host visitors on campus from different schools attending events such as homecoming, football games, or our Open House for eighth grade families in November.
When do you expect the construction will be completed?
While we are dependent upon weather and the supply chains affecting construction, we hope to finish the fieldhouse by the summer of 2023 so that it will be ready for the next school year. We still have more work to do on the fields, so that might be a couple months after opening the fieldhouse.
The plaza will be finished this semester. We are working to complete the plaza before the homecoming game on Oct. 28. We still have a lot of work to do, but we hope to complete the plaza as soon as possible.
How do you think these projects will be perceived by students and teachers?
Starting with the plaza, I hope that our student body and faculty will view this project as an upgrade. Outside the Terry Center, we would like to see students gathering, eating, or hanging around outside. The hope is that students are spending more time outside and enjoying the nice weather in North Texas.
Similar to the outdoor area outside the Melsheimer Theater, we anticipate teachers using the plaza as a place to hold class, given the capacity of the seating area and arrangement in the plaza.
For the fieldhouse and fields, we expect that our athletic department and athletes will take advantage and use them as much as possible. Lastly, as I said before, we intend to find ways to use these facilities outside of athletics and in support of the academic curriculum.
What do you personally think about these projects?
Personally, I think that these projects will be great additions to campus, which will significantly benefit our students, faculty, and community. Jesuit Dallas is an institution that focuses on providing numerous opportunities for students, both academically and athletically. Hopefully, students and faculty will view these places as opportunities to build and strengthen our community.
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