Community members of Corpus Christi School and Church congregated on Saturday, Sept. 20, to celebrate the grand opening of the campus’ new construction and witness the unveiling of a long-anticipated remodel.
The event fell on the 50th anniversary of the first Mass held in the present-day church on Sept. 20, 1964. The Palisadian-Post met with Corpus Christi’s Pastor Liam Kidney and principal Ryan Bushore to tour the new campus a few days before the event.
“The hope is this becomes a place where people will gather and interact,” said Kidney as he stood in the campus’ new entryway. “We have a very fine tradition of bonding with the families.”
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Kidney and Bushore provided the inside story on the construction that has been underway for nearly a year.
The campus’ facelift features an industrial look with exposed beams as well as new infrastructure and learning spaces. The addition was designed to “blend the old with the new,” according to Bushore.
Called The Sisters of St. Louis Center, it is dedicated to the school’s founders, including Sister Noreen who maintains a presence on campus.
One of the most noticeable additions to the campus includes a new façade facing Toyopa Drive featuring an enclosed entryway and laser-cut ironwork by artist Tom Farrage. According to Bushore, the sculpture symbolizes the merging of the parish with the school. A dove representing the school is shown alongside a chalice, representing the body and blood of Christ. A similar iron sculpture was installed on the courtyard-facing wall of the addition.
In keeping with the school’s top priority of student and faculty safety, Bushore said the school spent $100,000 on an upgraded security system. Now, before being granted entry to the campus, individuals must be buzzed in by the front office, are always in view of mounted security cameras and are monitored via facial recognition technology at the door.
The new entryway, where parents often wait for their children, is enclosed by glass walls that can fold up to make the flow of foot traffic easier during events, drop-offs and pick-ups. According to Kidney and Bushore, the entryway was constructed in the style of a “narthex” or gathering area in a church.
Upstairs, there is a new space for collaborative learning that boasts full A/V capabilities, multiple projectors and a sliding dividing wall, according to Bushore. The large space will serve as a multi-purpose place for learning and applying knowledge.
“The possibilities are endless with what you can do with this space,” Bushore added while overlooking the courtyard from the room’s balcony.
The first part of the school was built in 1951, with the original church now serving as the school’s gym. Outside, the construction includes a bridge between the campus’ West and North buildings in addition to an elevator. Upstairs bathrooms are undergoing remodeling and a new reusable water bottle filler is being installed.
Corpus Christi’s upcoming open house on Oct. 14 will be the first time much of the community will get an inside look at the addition.
Corpus Christi is located at 880 Toyopa Drive, (310) 454-1328.
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