In July 2008, the Convent of the Sacred Heart purchased a facility located at 406 East 91st Street, which is currently under construction and being transformed into a state-of-the-art Athletic and Wellness Center. This project marks a new chapter in the illustrious history of New York City’s oldest independent school for girls, and the next two years will bring a great deal of physical change, resulting in a campus with two locations and one mission.
In this ever-changing world, Sacred Heart continues to evolve and flourish. When completed, which we estimate will happen in late spring of 2013, Sacred Heart’s new athletic and wellness center will be the largest (at over 50,000 square feet) and only one of its kind for an independent school in Manhattan. It will include regulation-size basketball and volleyball courts and a competition-size six-lane swimming pool, in addition to a full “wellness” floor that will consist of a dance studio, a large weight room and practice rooms for a host of classes and activities. The expansion of sports and physical education offerings to another facility will also allow for the creation of more classrooms in the Kahn mansion for increased academic offerings.
The $75 million Campaign to support the expansion project ensures that we can continue to educate the whole child with excellent programmatic offerings while maintaining the historic details of the Kahn and Burden Mansions. Additionally, the school will be relocating its outreach and service program to the new building, expanding its already thriving service program.
At the kick-off event in the Kahn Mansion on November 3, the final plans for the new Athletic and Wellness Center were unveiled to the community, along with the details of the campaign that will support it. Campaign Co-chair Cornie Thornburgh stated in her remarks, “After many years of searching, Sacred Heart can finally hold practices in a top-notch facility that will put brains in our girls’ muscles, just as homework puts brains to work in their minds…this is where the games will be played, the minds refreshed, the hearts and souls renewed."
Over the next two years, the Campaign committee will be reaching out to every member of the Sacred Heart community with meetings, calls, emails and letters. If you would like to support the Campaign now, or if you have any questions, please contact Director of Advancement Craig MacPherson at (212)722-4745 ext. 107, or cmacpherson@cshnyc.org.
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