NORTH CENTER — DePaul College Prep announced plans to open a new 17-acre school campus in Chicago’s Roscoe Village neighborhood on Thursday.
The high school is currently based out of 3633 N. California Ave., which it rents from the Congregation of the Resurrection. The school purchased the campus at 3300 N. Campbell Ave. from Adtalem Global Education, which was formerly known as the DeVry Education Group.
A spokesperson from the school declined to say how much it paid for the new property; however, county records show the property was last assessed as being worth $4,450,000 in 2018.
“Our students and faculty deserve a 21st century learning environment and this beautiful campus answers that need,” said school President Mary A. Dempsey.
The Catholic high school was formerly known as Gordon Tech College Prep, named after the Rev. Francis Gordon, a Resurrectionist priest who was active in Chicago’s Polish community. He died in 1928.
In 2014, the school’s board of directors voted to change the name to DePaul College Prep, rebranding the North Side high school to address declining enrollment and highlight its partnership with DePaul University. The university has helped the high school develop a facilities plan and assisted the school’s push to add an International Baccalaureate program.
Since then, the school said it’s had a steady increase in enrollment and expects to have 600 students for its 2020-21 academic year. Students will begin to take classes at the new campus in August 2020.
The school’s new home at 3300 N. Campbell Ave. will feature ADA accessibility and be equipped with new classroom technology, more spacious classrooms, modern science labs and air conditioning.
“We will be adding a chapel, more science labs, STEM and art rooms, and a modern dining hall for the start of the 2020-2021 school year to enhance the DePaul Prep experience for our students and faculty,” said Principal Megan Stanton-Anderson.
Additional renovations to the existing buildings will take place over the next year and new turf athletic fields for football, soccer and lacrosse will be built. The school also plans to build an athletic complex featuring multiple gymnasiums, a pool and track facilities.
The school has hired architectural firm Moody Nolan and contractor Bulley & Andrews.
“Everything will be the same for the coming year, but starting next year we’ll move our operations over to the new campus,” Dempsey said. “We’ve been renting so now with the new campus it’ll give us a space that we actually own.”
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