News at St. Catherine's

Phase 1 Nearing Completion & Next Steps

Despite the high rainfall throughout the summer and fall, Phase 1 construction is on schedule to be completed by January 1, 2019. Plans are being made to sunset McVey Hall which houses McVey Theatre and the Dance Studio. 
Phase 1 construction is on target for completion by January 1, 2019
This phase of the capital project will result in 172 parking spaces, a new regulation-size turf field with spectator seating, bathrooms, and a new campus-wide HVAC system. The artificial turf field will be used for recess, outdoor play, P.E. classes, school activities, and athletic practices and competition. 

Phase 2 is on the Horizon
The second phase of construction will focus on the new Arts and Innovation Center for use by all girls, across all divisions, and the entire curriculum. The current plan is to divide this second phase into two segments with Phase 2A focusing on a new 550-seat theatre with a fly tower, industrial arts/scene shop, dressing rooms, and community spaces for the arts, galleries, innovation, wellness, and gatherings. Phase 2B will include the construction of visual arts studios, dance studios, a music room, an innovation lab, and community spaces for the arts, galleries, innovation, wellness, and gatherings. Construction timing for Phases 2A and 2B will depend upon fundraising success. While we do not have a specific start date for Phase 2A construction, plans are being formalized for the sunsetting of the McVey Theatre and the Dance Studio.

Sunsetting McVey Hall (Theatre and Dance Studio)
Built in 1937, McVey Hall originally served as a gymnasium and theatre for a student body just under 400 girls. While St. Catherine’s programs have flourished and the student body has grown to 990 girls in the last 81 years, McVey Hall can no longer support the demands and needs of our vibrant arts program. 
 
In May 2019, it is our plan to begin removing the current building structure that houses McVey Theatre and the Dance Studio. This will be a four-month process of which the initial phase will involve very little work on the exterior of the building. Rest assured that our important year-end events, such as graduation, will not be impacted during this time. Our students will continue to utilize McVey Theatre and the Dance Studio through the 2018-2019 school year. It is our hope, dependent on fundraising success, to launch Phase 2A construction at the conclusion of the four-month process of removing McVey Hall. 

As we look forward to the 2019-2020 school year, Kendall Neely, Arts Coordinator, continues to work with community partners to secure spaces for our girls and faculty to use during construction. There will be resources in place to support our thriving performing arts curriculum during this exciting transition, including new temporary spaces on campus for theater and dance classes. Additional details are forthcoming as these transition plans continue to evolve.


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Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.