Reitz Memorial Begins Major Expansion Project

On June 26, a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered at Reitz Memorial High School on Evansville's eastside to celebrate a groundbreaking and demolition ceremony for a planned expansion of the school grounds. Upon completion, the project will include a plaza, a parking lot and a soccer stadium.

Father Alex Zenthoefer, the school’s chaplain, began the ceremony with a prayer asking God to bless the expansion and the safety of the laborers in charge of carrying out the project. He said that the ability to expand the school is possible because of blessings from God and that the expansion is an effort to give thanks and glory to God for His goodness and kindness.

“This land development project will be a great benefit to the school community and to the neighborhood around the school,” said Brother Lawrence Murphy, the school’s president. “By bringing this additional parking onto our campus, we’re creating a far safer environment for our students and for visitors to the school."

The plans are to complete the project by the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year, however, project completion depends on when money for the renovations becomes available.

“Other projects like lighting Henning Field and some of the other facility and technology renovations and upgrades will be scheduled and completed based on a priority/available funding basis,” said Michael Lloyd, the capital campaign director. “We have already completed some projects like replacing the lighting in the gymnasium with more energy efficient lights and others are in progress like new exterior door keyless locks to improve security."

Lloyd says the project will benefit the school with more than just additional parking, but with tuition assistance and technological updates also. “We feel the expansion of the Memorial campus and facility renovations will greatly improve the appearance, safety and functionality of our school.  Monies from the capital campaign will also be used to assist families in need so they too can send their children to Memorial,” he said. “We will upgrade our technology by improving Internet infrastructure, updating servers, and increasing teacher mobile technology to achieve more blended learning.”

For Bob Mehringer, a 1986 graduate of Memorial and the chairperson of the school’s Board of Trustees, the project begins at an excellent time. The discovery of a meth lab on nearby Lodge Avenue in January 2012 highlighted the need for increased safety in the neighborhood. The school currently owns 37 contiguous properties near the campus. The school plans to demolish 30 of these in order to build the new plaza, parking lot and soccer field.

In addition to benefiting the school, the project also benefits the neighborhood around the campus. Bill Vieth, one of the co-chairs of the fundraising campaign, said that city officials called the project one of the best urban renewal efforts in Evansville’s history.

“The neighborhood feedback has been mostly positive and supportive,” Lloyd said. “A few neighbors are resistant to change and our plans but we have met collectively and individually with these people to help answer questions and ease their concerns.”

One of the ultimate goals of the project is to create a more visible link between St. Benedict Cathedral School, Reitz Memorial and the University of Evansville. Ideally, this link will include a walkway and greenway connecting Memorial to Willow Road at the entrance to the parking lot of St. Ben’s. This would allow the schools to use additional parking at each other’s facilities when one school expects an event to draw a large crowd.

“We have been in collaboration with both St. Ben's and UE to make sure each of our projects is coordinated and respectful of each other's plans. Eventually, one could even see a time where there is a walking or running path literally connecting the three campuses,” Lloyd explained, noting that the proposal linking the schools remains more of a long term vision than an immediate goal.

For Grace Lensing, an eighth grader and soccer player at St. Ben’s, the joy of playing on a new soccer field gives her something to look forward to when she attends Memorial. “I am really excited about the new soccer field. It will be a great opportunity and an honor to be one of the first to play there."

Lloyd said the school hopes to raise nearly $6 million for the campaign. Total donations since the campaign began in October 2012 come to $4.8 million, or 78 percent of the total goal. He hopes the rest of the money will be raised as soon as possible.

“To start the public phase of our campaign, we sent out a brochure to all alumni, friends and past donors in June and that includes a pledge card,” Lloyd explained. “We will also be at the respective parishes over the summer to make sure all are informed about our efforts.”