The construction currently underway, a massive project nearly ten years in the making, will provide countless opportunities for all members of the Jesuit community. I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Soich, the Vice President of Finance and Operations at Jesuit, about the construction and its many aspects.
What is It?
The construction in the front of the school is part of the larger Ad Majorem campaign. Some of the main aspects include a new, much larger chapel and a massive porte cochere.
The new chapel will fit significantly more people. This will allow it to serve as the site for many different events. The porte cochere, an element of the project that floated around for some time, serves as a new entry point for the school. The redesigned Learning Resource Center, Math Lab, and Nurse Station will allow the spaces to be more effective in assisting students with their academics and overrall wellness. The project also features a remodeled reception space and a brand-new Admissions suite. On top of this, new hallways will connect the new construction to the rest of campus as well as make it easier to get around the current campus.
The Development Process
This construction project has been in development for a number of years. It has been a part of Mr. Soich’s work for a majority of his time at Jesuit.
But where do you even start when making a project like this? First things first, before you start making big plans, you need to find out how the land can be developed in working with the city of Dallas. Once you have determined what can be built, you can then go more in depth in what you want the space to have. After this, you work with an architect to design the building. Then you have an option. You can either choose to manage all the individual aspects of the construction yourself or hire a General Contractor (GC for short) which is what Jesuit chose to do. The General Contractor’s job is to serve as a middleman that deals with subcontractors in charge of different pieces of the construction.
This project, originally intended to begin earlier, was pushed back after the Segal family generously reached out to Jesuit in hopes of building a natatorium. Despite minor delays at the start of the process, the construction continues to move along efficiently. Thankfully, no major setbacks have occurred that negatively impacted the construction of the new buildings. In terms of what has been enjoyable for Mr. Soich personally, he had this to say:
“I’ve never been part of the building of a church or a chapel so it feels very special to be a part of something like this.” – Mr. Soich
Who Does This Impact?
While recent construction projects like the Dove Fieldhouse and the David A. Segal Family Aquatic Center have mainly influenced Jesuit students participating in their respective athletic programs, the new construction projects will truly impact every single student’s life at Jesuit in an incredible way. The new Learning Resource Center’s collaborative design will allow students to more effectively take advantage of the space. Thanks to whiteboards on the walls, the new Math Lab will help students explain their thinking and learn more easily. The new Chapel, a main aspect of the new construction, will be something that will touch the hearts as they enter the space for the first time and see the beautiful stained-glass windows on the wall as well as the crucifix in the center.
The construction will not just affect students, but also parents, alumni, future Rangers, and more. The new carpool line will allow for less time picking up and dropping off and more time for parents to spend time with their children. The Admissions suite will serve as a space that helps those interested in attending Jesuit. The remodeled reception space will aid in the preservation of the school’s history. It will allow future students to understand where Jesuit came from and what it stands for.
Conclusion
The new construction currently underway in the front of the school will impact the lives of all who step on to Jesuit’s campus.
“This is something that we’ve dreamed up that I think is going to impact every single student that passes through that wing.” – mr. Soich
As progress continues, it will become easier to see how this new development will improve the lives of students at Jesuit through its various aspects from the new Learning Resource Center to the larger Chapel.
Thanks to Mr. Soich for generously offering his time. Thank you to Mrs. Wilson for her help gathering construction photos. Images and additional information used in this article can be found here:
https://www.jesuitdallas.org/campaign-home
