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CHARLOTTE — The much-anticipated expansion of Charlotte Catholic High School moves forward with the announcement that Choate Construction Co. has been selected as general contractor.

Groundbreaking for the new MACS Fine Arts Center at CCHS is scheduled for later this year.

This announcement comes as the “Expanding the Vision, Honoring the Tradition” capital campaign moves closer to its goal, with more than $6.1 million raised to date.

An additional commitment of $15 million from Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools’ capital fees brings the overall funds to nearly 92 percent of the $23 million goal.

“With more than $20 million committed, we will build a facility that will meet educational and programming needs,” said Principal Kurt Telford. “We are so grateful for all of the donors who have joined us with their gifts and pledges so far, and our hope is that others will join them in the coming months.”

Under the current schedule, design plans will be finalized in the coming months with pre-construction work to be completed over the summer. Construction is expected to start this fall with anticipated completion for the start of the 2022-’23 school year.

“After years of hard work and careful planning, we are very excited that this dream has become a reality,” Telford said. He added that the expansion and renovation will benefit all students and families by enhancing not only the visual and performing arts, but all aspects of educational and extracurricular programs at CCHS.

“Classrooms currently used for visual and performing arts courses will be freed up for other academic and athletic uses,” he noted. “In addition, the planned renovation and expansion of athletic facilities adjacent to the gymnasium will be completed.”

The Fine Arts Center will provide a modern facility for students to refine and demonstrate skills in the visual and performing arts. The two-story building will include an auditorium and visual and performing arts classrooms. It will serve not only Charlotte Catholic students, but also will provide space for educational programs and performances for MACS elementary and middle schoolstudents as well as the entire Catholic community.

Programming space in the new building includes art studios, a ceramics studio, kiln room, band room, choral room, dance studio, a black box for drama classroom, along with practice and storage rooms. In addition, the renovation of spaces in the existing building will include a weight room, wresting room, classroom spaces and team locker rooms.

Since the campaign launched early last year, nearly 600 families, individuals, businesses and foundations have supported it. Among those groups, 100 percent of the faculty, staff and campaign leadership have placed their own charitable support behind the goals.

“We are truly appreciative of the broad-based support received to date,” said Paul Polking, a long-time CCHS supporter who, along with his wife Joan, is one of the campaign’s honorary chairs.

— Sally McArdle, Special to the Catholic News Herald. Sally McArdle is the executive director of the Office of Institutional Advancement at Charlotte Catholic High School.

Be part of the legacy

For details about the “Expanding the Vision, Honoring the Tradition” capital campaign, call Principal Kurt Telford at 704-543-1127 or Advancement Director Sally McArdle at 704-716-2459. Learn more at www.playingyourpart.org.