Danis Fieldhouse
Above: live construction feed (automatically updated every 20 seconds) of the Danis Fieldhouse. Below: architectural renderings of the Danis Fieldhouse.
Click HERE for audio from the groundbreaking ceremony. This audio was compiled by The Pulse, SLUH's student-run radio station.
On May 7, 2008, St. Louis University High School ceremoniously broke ground on the Danis Fieldhouse, a new facility that will better serve its students while punctuating its commitment to the City of St. Louis. This new facility is a keystone of the largest campaign project in school history, known as VISION 2000. The entire student body, along with key school and civic leaders, were present for the groundbreaking ceremony (which was hosted inside due to rain).
"The Danis Fieldhouse is the culmination of a significant commitment not only to our students, but to the City of St. Louis," says David J. Laughlin, SLUH President. "VISION 2000 is helping to preserve our school's heritage by strengthening our academic and scholarship programs, while developing our neighborhood and campus."
Construction of the Danis Fieldhouse will create a competition gymnasium, additional court space for practice and recreation, a dedicated wrestling area and athletic offices. It is expected to be completed by Autumn of 2009.
SLUH will then reallocate the existing gymnasium in the main building to better serve its students and constituents. That space will be converted into a Multi-Purpose Commons, which will replace the current cafeteria and provide enough space for multiple uses, such as masses, reunions, banquets and the CASHBAH auction. After the Multi-Purpose Commons is completed, the current cafeteria will become the new location for the main academic offices, along with academic space. The main academic office space will eventually be transformed to a common area for student clubs and organizations, such as Prep News, STUCO and Dauphin Yearbook, bringing them together to create a "campus hub."
The Danis Fieldhouse will be a three-level complex of more than 40,000 square feet. BSI Constructors Inc. is the contractor, and Hastings Chivetta is the architect for the approximately $10-million project.
The new facility is named in recognition of the Danis Family. David Danis '61, Tim Danis '65 and Tom Danis '65 have generously supported the VISION 2000 campaign.
