Trinity school launches expansion - News Sunday

Trinity school launches expansion

A $29.5 million project will expand offerings at the Richmond school

Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 12:08 AM

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By ZACHARY REID

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Trinity Episcopal School brought back the best of its past to show off its bright future this weekend.

With graduates spanning 35 years on hand for alumni weekend, ground was broken yesterday on the first phase of an aggressive building program on the campus just off Cherokee Road in South Richmond.

The six-part, $29.5 million Future Pathways project will include new and renovated facilities to expand the school's athletic and arts offerings.

Previous expansions were dedicated to academic pursuits.

"This will really complete our campus," said Headmaster Thomas G. Aycock. "We're getting the facilities to better support the programs that we have developed."

Since opening in 1972, the school has gradually increased the number of buildings on its 42-acre campus. In the next few years, gradual will give way to an all-out construction boom.

Highlights include:

a 55,000-square-foot athletic and fitness center, including a new gym, which is scheduled to open in fall 2009;

a student commons (also slated for a fall'09 opening);

converting the old gym into a music center, including a digital lab (in time for the second semester of the 2009-10 school year)

a covered walkway that will serve as the school's new drop-off/pickup point;

converting the theater into a visual-arts center; and

building a 750-seat theater.

"What it will really do is build out our facilities to match our academic programs," said Charles F. Witthoefft, the chairman of the school's board of trustees.

The school, he said, has "vibrant, creative programs" in place in arts and athletics. By keeping enrollment steady -- Trinity has about 450 students in grades 8-12 -- while adding facilities, he said, all of the programs will benefit by being able to stretch.
Contact Zachary Reid at (804) 775-8179 or zreid@timesdispatch.com.