{"id":306,"date":"2016-12-21T21:11:36","date_gmt":"2016-12-21T21:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sths.org\/4500Forever\/?p=306"},"modified":"2020-01-23T09:52:01","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T09:52:01","slug":"4500forever-kirskey-architecture-joplin-campus-move-in-master-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sths.org\/4500Forever\/2016\/12\/21\/4500forever-kirskey-architecture-joplin-campus-move-in-master-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"4500Forever Finish Strong – Kirskey Architecture Presents Joplin Campus Move-In Master Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

For more than a century, St. Thomas has never let convention limit its dreams. Especially when there’s an opportunity for bold action.<\/span><\/p>\n

The monumental acquisition to secure the adjacent HISD School for Law and Justice was simply the next defining moment in providing an unsurpassed college preparatory experience bringing academics, athletics, and student life together.<\/span><\/p>\n

The noted design team of Kirksey Architecture recently staged two informal town hall-type presentations with question and answer opportunities for the STH community, forums led by Kirksey vice-president Nicola Springer and project coordinator Michael La Nasa, and St. Thomas President Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sessions provided acute detail to the innovative measures in uniting two distinct campus identities into one and unveiled the move-in master plan for the Joplin Campus expansion funded by the 4500Forever capital campaign, the most ambitious fundraising effort in the institution’s 117-year history.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Springer-Oct2016\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWe began an intense dialogue with St. Thomas stakeholders in July 2015 to gain an understanding of what this merging needed to be,\u201d Springer said. \u00a0\u201cWe heard sincere desires that the top priority was creating an environment that expressed brotherhood and community, family and a spiritual togetherness, where students will mature into young men of St. Thomas, and then wish to continue that Eagle relationship throughout their lives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

4500Forever Finish Strong is raising the necessary $12 million for the Joplin Campus redevelopment. \u00a0Currently 30% of that monetary goal has been reached.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs we continue to raise funds for Phase II of the 4500Forever capital campaign it is vital that we keep our constituents informed,\u201d said Mark deTranaltes \u201883, the St. Thomas Vice President for Advancement. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvents such as these are a perfect example of our desire to ensure that everyone\u2019s voice can be heard. We have said this from the beginning. In order to make the expansion a reality it is going to take the entire St. Thomas community to be involved, because that is who the expansion will serve. Whether that be through education, athletics, extra-curricular activities or one of our many community events. 4500Forever is about securing a home away from home for generations to come. \u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

At the core of the transformation are learning centers distributed throughout the merging properties, generating synergy between the different elements of academics.<\/span><\/p>\n

The entire project includes sustainable and environmentally friendly building practices and concepts consistent with other St. Thomas redevelopment, meeting both the immediate and the evolving needs of a STH population which will eventually reach 1,000 students while maintaining the same 11-1 student-faculty ratio.<\/span><\/p>\n

In essence, a campus without limits.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty-first century education is a buzzword but the principals it encapsulates are of great value,\u201d La Nasa said. \u00a0\u201cThe most important space throughout your campus cannot sit idle. \u00a0Whether it\u2019s athletics fields or technology labs or performing arts, you have to have layers of flexibility that move in relation to rapidly changing demands. \u00a0How you learn in it, how you teach in it must dictate how you are able to utilize it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n