Overview
It’s not everyday that commercial contractor has an opportunity to complete a project for a historical landmark in its own community. Saint Anthony Catholic School, located at 820 Northeast 3rd Street in Fort Lauderdale, opened 90 years ago with 64 students. It is Broward County’s oldest Catholic School. Today, Saint Anthony Catholic School has grown to accommodate over 400 students and maintains an exceptional reputation in South Florida.
The Gymnasium was constructed in 1940. In addition to physical education classes, it is the place where students compete in high school athletics and men in from the community play recreational basketball at nights and on weekends.
One of the caveats of a historic building is that it often lacks modern updates. In Saint Anthony’s case, the 6,400 square foot gymnasium never had air conditioning. That was where the project began. We converted a multi-purpose staged interior area to a two-level structure, allowing for HVAC equipment rooms at the second level and added bathrooms and the coach’s office on the first level.
In the end, Saint Anthony Catholic School benefited from the renovated, climate controlled gym (much to the delight of athletes and their families) while preserving its rich history. What’s more, our valued long-term client, The Archdiocese of Miami, was so pleased with the result, it awarded us another project to install approximately 4,000 square feet of covered walkways. Thus continues our long and proud tradition of constructing long-standing buildings for influential clients like The Archdiocese of Miami.