Progress on Little Falls Road
In 2013, Bishop O’Connell undertook a comprehensive study to develop a master plan to align the physical facilities with the school’s mission-driven strategic plan. The project evolved from the need to address functional, organization and space deficiencies of a school that was originally designed more than 60 years ago in the co-institutional model of single-sex classrooms. Boys and girls entered the school through separate entrances that faced Trinidad and Underwood Streets. The “boys side” and “girls side” shared a central courtyard, cafeteria, and library that connected the two halves.
With the help of Maginniss + del Ninno Architects, an eight-phase Master Site Plan was developed to guide the process of modernizing the school’s facilities. The plan provides a sequenced phased approach to addressing the evolving space requirements of curricula and the need for flexible learning and teaching spaces that meet today's educational landscape.
Project Updates
Select the date tab below to view photos and updates from previous weeks.
- April 9, 2020
- Mar. 20, 2020
- Feb. 21, 2020
- Jan. 31, 2020
- Jan. 22, 2020
- Dec. 6, 2019
- Oct. 24, 2019
- Oct. 4, 2019
- Sept. 20, 2019
- Sept. 7, 2019
- August 29, 2019
- August 23, 2019
- Aug. 16, 2019
- August 2, 2019
April 9, 2020
First let us be thankful and praying for all the men and women still going to work to finish the construction project. A lot has been going on since school closed for our students.
Now that spring temperatures are here, the landscaping around the new plaza has taken shape. There are many new trees to keep our green canopy maintained, and many bushes and small plantings to compliment the new outdoor space.
The skin on the outside of the new main entrance is almost completed, and inside there is still a lot happening.
Yes, O'Connell, there is an elevator! Mr. Buckreis asked if he could try it out, but they said it needs to be calibrated, and that will happen next week. You can see in the pictures, the third floor elevator lobby has the glass walls up, the exposed plywood you see will be covered in oak panels.
The rest of the new main corridor may look like a bit of a mess in the photos, but mostly it is just paint and ceiling tile that needs to be done. Paint should finish next week. Make sure to check out the funky lights in that two story corridor. They are something to see at night!
The astute among you probably notice that the second floor railing is still just a made up of wires. Turns out, the manufacturing plant for our glass railings, located in Pennsylvania, has shut down due to the pandemic. We will need to wait on these.
On the Trinidad Street side of campus, the new academic wing and chapel structure is coming along. The basement walls are up and the grading is being completed to pour the slab, and connect to the existing wing. Entrance #4 will be closed for a while, as they take out structure and add it back in as the two wings go together.
The front entrance facade is almost completed.
The beautiful cross near the front entrance makes an impressive statement from both inside and outside.
The cross in the front window is spectacular! This is taken from the second floor lobby.
Notes from Mr. Buckreis: "Yes, O'Connell, there is an elevator! I asked if I could try it out, but they said it needs to be calibrated, and that will happen next week. You can see in the pictures, the third floor elevator lobby has the glass walls up, the exposed plywood you see will be covered in oak panels."
The main corridor may look like a mess in the pictures, but mostly it is just paint and ceiling tile that needs to be done. Paint should finish next week. Floor covering is protecting the terrazzo tile underneath.
Check out the funky lights...they are something to see at night!
The new academic wing and chapel is coming along. The basement walls are up and the grading is being completed to pour the slab. This will ultimately connect to the existing Trinidad wing. Entrance, #4 on that side will be closed for a while, as they take out structure and add it back in as the two wings go together.
The past few weeks have seen landscaping take shape all around the new front plaza.
Mar. 20, 2020
The construction project is moving along at quite a pace. If you drive by the building you will see the landscaping crews putting in plantings in and around the plaza, and dozens of trees going in...a significant number of trees. Arlington County code requires a specific amount of canopy cover, and so we have some beautiful river birch, redbud, oak, linden, and elm trees added to our landscape. We will have over 15 varieties of shrubs going in, too.
Our blessings continue with the reappearance of the Holy Family, pro-life statue in the plaza.
Staying outside, the porcelain rain screen is climbing up the front of the building and this technical and laborious job will continue for a couple more weeks. If you head around to the chapel wing, you can see two floors of steel rising up from the ground. Don't be confused, we will connect that to both the old religion hall and the Trinidad wing of the building. That connection is just SOG (Slab of reinforced concrete On Grade). More good news over there, as the generator is in the basement and gravel back fill is going around the foundation.
Interior work it is really coming together. The elevator in the main lobby is going in. This is a three week job. But look at the views from one end of the hall to another, now that the passageway (affectionately known as "the tunnel") that the students used between buildings is gone.
The porcelain rainscreen is climbing up the front of the building.
The Holy Family statue has returned to the front of the school. It is now a main focal point of the new plaza.
Landscaping is taking shape all around the plaza!
Looking up the new main staircase you can see all those windows and open spaces!
This is a view of the new main corridor connecting the new front lobby to the gym and auditorium lobby. Notice that the new terrazzo tile floor is covered with plywood right now for protection.
This is a view from the center office into the new lobby area. The old "tunnel" is gone!
This photo is taken from the top of the landing in the new lobby area.
Looking out the second floor of the new lobby area, you can see that the flagpole and holy family statue are both back where they should be!
Feb. 21, 2020
The front entrance may not look like much has changed, but a lot of precision work is getting done. The silver rails on the building have to be accurate to the millimeter to accept the large format porcelain rainscreen that covers the front. We hope to see those going up next week.
The front plaza is almost complete. The squares you see are waiting for paver infill. We are also waiting on a pergola to go over some of the seating area, for the reinstallation of the Holy Family statue, and for a few capstones to be installed. Landscaping will take place in the spring.
This is a glimpse of the second floor of the main corridor, leading toward the clinic. The walls are tiled and there are only a few finishes left to accomplish in here...the decorative ceiling, LVT floor tile, glass railing and paint.
Interior tiling process has begun in the main corridor.
Over on the Trinidad Street side of campus, the chapel basement walls are all in place, with plastic sheeting to keep the rainfall away from the outside of the foundation. This area will soon be backfilled.
Jan. 31, 2020
The main entrance is really taking shape. The yellow material is the waterproofing, which will soon be covered with the exterior tile. Also, on the scaffolding is a stockpile of the material that will be placed on the overhang for the front door.
This photo is taken from the third floor elevator landing, looking down on the second floor flexible seating area, and the first floor front lobby. The cross is a major focal point from both inside and outside the building already.
The "Grand Staircase" is in place in the new lobby!
The exterior of the new main corridor got finishing touches this week, with the addition of brick to match the surrounding buildings.
The foundation walls are completed and the floor is prepped for final surface. This is the basement area of the new chapel!
The surface of the front plaza is taking shape. Concrete was poured this week, and is now covered with heavy plastic to protect from the elements. Next week, the rest will be poured.
Jan. 22, 2020
The glass has been installed at the new front entrance of the school. On the right you can begin to see the cross that is integrated into the design of the glass.
The glass and sun shades have been installed along the new central corridor of the school. The inside is being prepped for a new terrazzo floor.
A door has been added from the cafeteria to open directly into the courtyard.
The foundation for the new chapel and academic wing is taking shape along the Trinidad Street side of campus.
Dec. 6, 2019
The foot traffic pattern taking students from one side of the building to the other transitioned over the Thanksgiving break. The first floor "tunnel" has been removed, and is replaced by a lovely second floor passageway. This transition allows the construction team to work on what will become the nice large and open main entrance and lobby area. Mechanical and flooring work is in the works!
The new front entrance wall is being framed out with metal studs going three stories high.
Out front the stone walls are completed, capped and covered to protect them when the concrete plaza surface is poured. The amphitheater seating is in and waiting for handrails.
The foundation/base is in place for the Holy Family statue to return to its central location in the plaza.
The bio-pond is being prepped with special geotextile and filter material before it gets its last layers of soil. Once completed, this area will collect run-off, but look like just another green area.
The foundation area has been dug for the chapel and new wing, and the rebar is on site. We should be seeing footers getting framed out soon.
Oct. 24, 2019
Oct. 4, 2019
The stone work in the front plaza is nearing completion. It beautifully matches the walls of our original building, and will tie in with our future chapel facade.
The junior lot near the corner of Little Falls Road and Underwood Street has a new exit that directs cars into the main driveway near the new plaza. This exit allows us to make this parking lot one-way. This week the lot was restriped with angled spots, making it easier to navigate and less likely to have fender benders among our new drivers. Crosswalks on the main driveway are next.
The metal frames for the glass that will make up the walls of the new main corridor are going up.
The first floor of the new main corridor is looking more like a hallway. Prep work for HVAC can be seen.
Window frames for the new main corridor are staged in the courtyard. The plywood is protecting the new courtyard surface.
Sept. 20, 2019
Front Plaza
Out front, most of the retaining walls have been faced with stone, and the part that is not faced, nearest to Little Falls Road, will be a tiered seating area wrapping all the way to the end. Part of the seating area will be covered with a pergola to provide some shade and definition. The Holy Family statue, which stood in front of the flagpole before construction began, will be re-installed at the end of the wall.
The front plaza will be concrete with brick inlays and have two pedestrian exits with crosswalks across the drop off lanes to lead to the new main entrance. Between the plaza and the handicapped parking will be a level and lightly landscaped area that disguises a run-off retention system. Underneath the surface will be filter material to make sure rainwater run-off does no damage to the cleanliness of the Potomac watershed. The front plaza will be concrete with brick inlays and have two exits with crosswalks across the drop off lanes to the main entrance.
Parking
Small front lot near Underwood St. and Little Falls Road - We will be re-striping this lot with angled spaces only. Because of the newly created exit near the plaza, this lot will be one-way only and the new angled spaces will make the parking process easier.
Senior parking lot (closest to the baseball field) – There was a lot of digging in this area over the summer that included a required underground water retention system, as well as buried cables for the infrastructure of the new building. The surface has had initial repaving, and there will be temporary re-striping and added crosswalks to get us through the construction of the new academic building and chapel at the site of the former IHM convent.
Courtyard
Most of the concrete work has been completed inside the courtyard. There will be a new additional access point into the courtyard directly from the cafeteria. The new door for this will go in later this fall, along with a lot of landscaping in the new planting beds around the courtyard's perimeter. The steps into the courtyard from the cafeteria and the new first floor corridor will take shape next week. The statue of Our Lady of Grace will find her new home in the courtyard just a few feet from where she has been since 1957. Don't be confused by the plywood that currently covers much of the surface of the courtyard; it is there to protect the concrete as the rest of the project catches up. When completed, the courtyard will have ten new picnic tables ready for senior lunches and social gatherings.
New Connecting Corridors
The concrete floor for the second level of the new connecting corridor that runs across the courtyard was poured this week. The first floor will be poured at the end of next week. Once the second floor corridor between the center hall and the Trinidad St. wing is far enough along, the construction company will move the temporary connecting tunnel from the first floor to the second, and will finish work on the first floor corridor. In the next week or two, we should also start seeing frames for glass walls going up on the front of the building and the first and second floor of the new courtyard corridor.
Infrastructure Work Inside Trinidad Street Wing
Inside the ground floor of the Trinidad wing, all the infrastructure work for the sprinkler system for the new and old parts of the building are being installed. Eventually all those pipes in the ceiling will disappear above a new suspended ceiling.
Phase 2 – New Academic Wing and Chapel – Coming Out of the Ground
Construction work for the new academic wing and chapel will begin with excavation for the building’s basement. This will commence once the Phase 1 construction projects no longer require moving large equipment down the temporary road to the courtyard.
Safety and Compliance
The construction company, the architect and our O’Connell team are in regular contact with the Arlington County building and safety offices to ensure that we are in compliance or exceeding required codes.
Sept. 7, 2019
August 29, 2019
August 23, 2019
Aug. 16, 2019
Curbs formed, ready for concrete, for extended parking and exit to main driveway.
Plaza retaining walls nearing completion, and ready for stone facing.
Stone facing for plaza walls delivered and ready for installation.
Concrete foundations for front entrance and connector nearing completion.
First shipment of steel ready for installation.
August 2, 2019
The renovation of the courtyard is taking shape--ready for new steps, ramps and patio surface.
The new front plaza is graded and a new storm water system is in place. The footings for the new plaza walls are formed and ready for concrete.
A new storm water management system with more than 5,000 cubic feet of underground storage capacity has been competed, and the area is ready for repaving.
Underground electrical conduits are installed. These will connect to a new transformer and upgrade the electrical system for the entire school.