‘Groundbreaking’: Indoor Athletic Complex Paved for Construction
On April 9, DePaul College Prep formally commenced construction on their indoor athletic complex project during an after school ‘Ground Breaking’ Ceremony, in which school administration, faculty members, staff, students, and visitors were invited to celebrate breaking ground on this major milestone—set to permanently transform the North parking lot into a dynamic sports facility.
DePaul Prep President Mary Dempsey, who oversees major campus additions and institutional funding in her administrative role, spoke to the “emotional” significance of the groundbreaking ceremony. Throughout the commencement, she expressed collective recognition and appreciation to the school community and donors who laid the foundational groundwork and catalysed construction.
“Gratitude—so much gratitude to so many people who made it possible,” President Dempsey explained. “People who contribute to us and have been incredibly generous to us believe in our mission, which is great.”
According to President Dempsey, the 74,600 square-foot construction project is budgeted at 32 million dollars and will consist of multiple amenities tailored to the welfare and success of DePaul Prep student-athletes and athletic teams. Highlights of the construction include 1,100 spectator seats alongside a competition court, three multi-purpose courts, athletic locker rooms, an elevated indoor track, a wrestling room, a strength and weight training space, and a DePaul Prep spirit shop.
“It’s so clever,” explained President Dempsey, emphasizing the athletic complex’s multi-functional design. She added that school administrators and DePaul Prep’s construction contractor, Bulley & Andrews, “tweaked” and “refined” the project’s renderings during the pre-construction phase to optimize the site’s spatial layout and budget constraints, all while prioritizing athletic performance.
“I had Mr. Mahoney and Mr. Kleinschmidt with me in every [pre-construction] meeting,” President Dempsey said, citing the active involvement of DePaul Prep Athletic Director Patrick Mahoney and Head Varsity Basketball Coach Tom Kleinschmidt during the athletic complex’s design development. Both Mahoney and Kleinschmidt provided insight into student-athletes’ and coaches’ functional needs for the sports facility.
As President Dempsey explained, “[Mr. Mahoney and Mr. Kleinschmidt] could say, ‘This is how the competition should be set up. This is the most efficient way into the locker rooms,’” to optimize the athletic complex’s functionality.
One Dream, All In: Indoor Athletic Complex Construction Projects Capital Campaign Framework
The indoor athletic complex is the second phase of DePaul Prep’s One Dream, All In: The Campaign for the Future of DePaul Prep; a capital campaign launched by school administration in June 2019, designed to support DePaul Prep “students’ academic, arts, and athletic experiences” amid the school’s rapid growth and development into a Vincentian Catholic coed high school in the heart of Chicago’s Northside.
Aligning with DePaul Prep’s growth and development plan, a sizable scale of campaign total has been invested in the construction of the indoor athletic complex.
“Our entire capital campaign has raised 59 million, and that’s gone into the stadium, the classrooms, the science labs—32 million is going towards the athletic complex,” said President Dempsey.
However, for construction to conclude by the targeted completion date—summer of 2027—further capital investment is required.
“We’re all but 6 million away from our final goal,” said President Dempsey. “We will raise that money between now and the time the project is complete.”
President Dempsey noted that DePaul Prep administration only recently approved groundbreaking on the construction of the indoor athletic complex once administrators were confident continued capital fundraising would bridge the funding gap.
Anchoring a Support System: How Transforming a Blueprint to Reality
“It’s past, current and future families. It’s foundations; it’s corporations,” said President Dempsey. “It’s just generous people who believe in what we do here, which is to be a community anchor that educates families, educates the students or families in Chicago.”
President Dempsey underscores that capital fundraising and endowment support reflect DePaul Prep’s growth and development as a young institution seeking to expand its alumni and donor network across Chicago by amplifying its Vincentian mission.
“We have to tell our story over and over and over again. But I’m okay with that. I love that because I love telling our story, and I love our mission,” explained President Dempsey, highlighting the importance of centering DePaul Prep’s educational and athletic objectives in the All-In Capital Campaign.
Above all, President Dempsey said that construction of the indoor athletic complex, in tandem with DePaul Prep’s strategic initiatives, is not possible with the support of the school community and Chicagoland area.
She said, “It’s a team effort.”
