By Cathy Zhou
While students were taking classes and attending Prize Day remotely through Zoom, a new construction project began on St. Mark’s campus. This project will refurbish the Gallery Entrance, an area next to the dining hall kitchen.
According to Ms. Sarah Duran, this construction will bring a new look to the East Gallery Entry and the Theriot Quad. It will “provide enhanced accessibility, functionality, and expansion” of the area, according to Ms. Duran. Specifically, it will rebuild the existing entrance, which includes the staircases and the small porch leading to the dining hall kitchen, into a two-storied extension of the original building. In addition, it will add new landscape features next to the Gallery Entrance and install a new elevator.
The visitor parking lot will also be expanded. There will be 11 parking spaces located between the Main Circle and the Chapel, including two slots for the handicapped. “This new parking area will enhance our visitor's experience upon their arrival and departure from our campus and will provide ease of use for those with physical challenges,” Ms. Duran commented.
The need for the new Gallery Entrance emerged from the planning of the new residence halls. Once the new dormitories open, more students and faculty will enter the Main Building from the backside. “We recognized that we needed to construct a new pedestrian path and an entrance that could accommodate the additional foot traffic,” said Ms. Duran.
The construction was originally scheduled on another date. However, when the administration made the decision to extend remote learning, they decided to begin the project earlier. The new construction dates are aimed to lessen the impact on the new school year schedule. Currently, the project is scheduled to end on October 29, 2020. Therefore, students and faculty could expect to use the new facility next year if school resume.
