Athletic Center Project

A FOUNDATION for the FUTURE

ATHLETIC CENTER PROJECT GAINS MOMENTUM

On the evening of October 19, 2019, St. Mark’s was struck by an EF-3 tornado that cut a path of damage across North Texas. The north side of campus took the brunt of the blow, resulting in a total loss of the Thomas O. Hicks Family Athletic Center and Albert G. Hill Family Tennis Courts. In many ways, planning for a new athletic complex began that next morning, as the St. Mark’s community surveyed the campus. There were plenty of shortterm needs that had to be addressed – not the least of which being the impending start of the winter sports season. But amid the destruction, there was also an opportunity to build upon the School’s already solid foundation.

“The devastating loss of Hicks Gym and its adjacent facilities created a number of challenges for our School, but also presented us with a unique opportunity to look ahead to the future and improve our campus,” said Sean Lissemore, Director of Athletics, who joined St. Mark’s just four months before the 2019 tornado. “It is certainly exciting to think about the possibilities for this new facility and how it will help to support the growth and development of our students by addressing both current and future programmatic needs.” In the weeks following the tornado, thanks to an incredible community and tireless physical plant team, Morris G. Spencer Gymnasium was completely renovated into a competitionlevel court just in time for the varsity basketball team’s 2020 SPC Championship winning season. Likewise, the School solved numerous logistical hurdles to ensure that every sport had facilities in which to practice and compete. With immediate needs addressed, St. Mark’s also began looking ahead and envisioning how the northeast corner of campus could be rebuilt and maximized.

“At St. Mark’s, we always consider the long-term impact of each decision, and new facilities like this one will benefit the boys and faculty for generations to come,” said Carl Sewell III ’02,St. Mark’s Trustee and Chair of the Athletic Center Planning Committee. “Simply replacing Hicks Gym would solve our immediate needs, but now we have an opportunity to invest significantly in athletics and reshape the entire north end of campus.”

(above) Carl Sewell III ’02 and David Dini participate in a creative ideation exercise for CannonDesign The journey from a destroyed gymnasium to a stateof-the-art athletic complex will require hundreds of steps and thousands of decisions. Since early 2020, the Athletic Center Planning Committee has been focused on laying the figurative groundwork necessary to begin actual construction. The Board of Trustees recently passed several important milestones on this journey, such as securing approval from the City of Dallas for a conceptual Planned Development Document. This, in turn, allowed the School to immediately start on another important project: repairing and straightening the north fence line and moving it closer to Orchid Lane, thus recapturing valuable square footage for development. Another significant step came with the selection of major partners for the Athletic Center Project, including CannonDesign, Beck Construction and Architecture, Legends Project Management, Counsilman-Hunsacker pool consultants, and Campus Master Planner Jeff Blanchard, among others. A number of very significant financial commitments have also been made towards the project that affirm the confidence and belief our community members have in the School and the progress to date.

In the latter part of 2021, a group of administrators, Trustees, and professional partners embarked on a field trip to peer schools in the Washington, D.C. area. The group toured several of CannonDesign’s previous athletic projects at Sidwell Friends School, The Potomac School, and Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia).

“Walking through these spaces allowed us to really envision what is possible for St. Mark’s,” said Scott Jolly, Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs. “It has been equally important to invite the architects and designers to our campus and introduce them to St. Mark’s. They understand that this new facility is not just for athletics but for the entire community.”

As 2022 began, the Athletic Center Planning Committee moved the design process forward and began refining plans for the St. Mark’s athletic complex. With several rounds of feedback and insight distilled, project partners are hard at work fine tuning plans and renderings that will support a new generation of Lions athletics.

PROJECT TIMELINE

2019

TORNADO STRIKES An EF-3 tornado strikes causing damage across campus and destroying several key athletics facilities.

CLEARING THE WAY Crews demolish and remove the remains of the Thomas O. Hicks Family Athletic Center.

2020

PLANNING AHEAD The Athletic Center Planning Committee is formed and plans for the future home of athletics.

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE Longtime Campus Master Planner Jeff Blanchard guides discussions about campus redevelopment and athletic facilities.

(clockwise from top left) Crews grade the newly expanded space along Orchid Lane

Members of the Athletic Center Planning Committee tour athletic facilities in the Washington, D.C. area

Athletic Director Sean Lissemore leads a current full assessment of athletic facilities

“Through athletics, Marksmen learn the invaluable benefits of thoughtful sportsmanship, teamwork, and the hard work required to achieve excellence,” said Kathy Crow, President of the Board of Trustees and parent of two alumni. “This athletic complex project is the embodiment of how athletics can contribute in these ways to all students. These first-class facilities will reflect the same level of excellence and merit that we hope our boys strive for every day academically, athletically, and personally in their values and character.”

The Athletic Center Planning Committee continues to hold regular meetings with CannonDesign and all of its professional project partners to turn the future of St. Mark’s athletics from a dream into a reality. The Committee hopes to finalize the design this year, with a groundbreaking to happen within the next 12 months.

2021

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS The School hosts a series of community engagement meetings to share redevelopment plans with surrounding residents and city officials.

CITY APPROVAL Dallas City Council approves the updated Campus Planned Development Document, including the construction of a new Athletic Complex.

PROJECT TEAM ASSEMBLED After a national search, CannonDesign is selected to strengthen the project team. A field trip to peer schools is conducted.

COMING INTO FOCUS The Athletic Center Planning Committee leads ongoing program and design meetings to prepare for groundbreaking.