The construction of the newest addition to DeMatha’s Campus, the new Art and Engineering Building, dubbed the Cross Center, is progressing slowly but efficiently.
As the current building schedule stands after multiple delays, the Cross Center is estimated to be completed by mid to late January, with equipment, furniture, and more being moved in over spring break.
Construction was delayed due to complications with the water lines that would lead from the Main Building to the Cross Center, as well as the multiple days of rain that occurred weeks prior. As soon as the lines are complete the concrete will be poured around October 21. Dr. McMahon says he expects the building to be done around mid to late January.
The hill in front of the Monestary is planned to be restored, and the sidewalk will be accessible once again to make foot traffic between the buildings easier, especially for those in wheelchairs.
Mr. Holsey and Mr. Blorstad, who are the head Art and Engineering teachers, respectively, are excited about the additional classroom space and storage the 7,700-square-foot Cross Center will provide for the teachers.
Mr. Holsey plans to reintroduce ceramics and sculpture as one of his classes for seniors, thanks to the added space for kilns. A class that focuses more on the anime side of art, a medium that interests a good number of students, is currently in the works and will be taught by Mr. Green.
Mr. Blorstad does not plan to introduce more classes outside of advanced versions of ones already offered. However, the added space will allow his classes to house more students, an issue he and Mr. Roberts frequently run into because of the size of the current Engineering room. The added space of the Cross Center will also provide a “more organized space” to conduct wood shop classes, which was put on hold due to limited space.
As the year continues to move forward, something on everyone’s mind is the annual bonfire to kick off Homecoming. When asked about the spacing issue and how it would affect the event, Coach King stated, “We’ll just have to adapt to the situation, adapt like we always do.” The fencing of the construction area will result in the use of the guest parking lot in front of the Antler Room as the common space for the event.
