14 minute read
Looking Back, Looking Foward
Looking Back, Looking Forward
OUR HOME ON WEST 13TH STREET
It’s hard to believe, but Notre Dame has been on West 13th Street in the West Village of Manhattan for 20 years now. Encore Chez Nous asked some of the key figures in our move from the East Village to the West Village what that period was like for them, what their hopes for the school were at the time, and how they see the ND of today after all the planning and effort that went into securing the school’s new location and its future.
Bursting at the seams of our cozy St. Mark’s Street building in the East Village, the school knew it needed room to grow. And grow it did—shifting from two class sections to three, with a robust enrollment that has only gotten stronger over the years. ND’s longtime and recently retired Director of Admissions Bob Grote recollected that challenging transition year:
“I always think of that incoming class of 86 students in September 2002 as ‘The Miracle Class.’ Up until then, on St. Mark’s Place, having 60 in a freshman class was a real victory. But that was the one year Jackie Brilliant and I worked together in admissions and there was just so much we were up against: We couldn’t show the “new” building on W. 13th to anyone at any time; Catholic elementary feeder schools then were falling like dominoes; Archbishop Molloy HS had just gone co-ed; and it was the toughest sale ever for students and their families to imagine traveling into Manhattan so soon after 9/11. But, somehow, it all came together, and the 86 new students gave us a great jump start in filling up our new home.”
Sr. Mary Dolan, SU was the school’s President during that tumultuous year and remembers that momentous time well:
“Notre Dame’s move to West 13th St. didn’t happen overnight. We realized we needed more space in 1996 when Fr. Kenneth Boller, S.J. was chairing our brave attempt at strategic planning. Frankly, I hadn’t recovered from the 1989 move and the thought of finding another more suitable home was less than enticing, even if driven by necessity. There were plenty of setbacks! As time passed, plans came and went, dreams bumped into reality, and regular school life took precedence. The New York City real estate scene was changing before our eyes; that and teacher retention along with student enrollment were all swirling issues that took turns keeping me awake at night.
Looking back, 20 years after that heady spring of 2002 when a big parish-owned school building was finally within reach, I am still amazed at how straightforward that move might have seemed. Personally, I am grateful for how much I learned. The 2002 move demanded creativity and perseverance from many of the same people who had spearheaded the 1989 move. The move to West 13th St. was a perfect example of ‘I get by with a little help from my friends.’
Former Principal John Joven recalls the sense of a school on the move and the necessity of everyone pitching in—many for the second time!:
“Many may remember that the school had a history of moving. I can vividly recall all the emotions that I felt when Notre Dame had moved not once but twice during my nearly 30 years tenure.
When you move a school, Chez Nous, you have to make sure that everyone is on board. Thankfully, we had tremendous support. All of us at ND believed in our mission and that we had to do everything in our collective power to keep it alive and thriving, well into the 21st century.”
Once considered a hidden gem in the independent school landscape, Notre Dame is now a plainly prized school for aspiring young women and their families in every borough, along with Westchester and New Jersey. Bob Grote reflected on the exciting prospect of the new location at the time:
“I recall being with Sr. Mary Dolan when we first showed the empty St. Bernard’s building to our architect extraordinaire, Mick Doyle. We all rode together in the cage-like elevator up to the top floor. Mick walked over to one of the class-
Sr. Mary Dolan signs and Jackie Elias notarizes the new lease.
room windows on the south side and took it all in: the open space, the fresh sunlight, the views of Lower Manhattan. Then, he turned to us and said, ‘I can’t believe you got this building.’
School President Sr. Virginia O’Brien was the school’s Director of Counseling at the time of the move, and her first impression of our new building was a little different:
“It was the spring of 2002 when I first walked through the doors of 327 W. 13th St. and entered the dark, dilapidated, dismal school building. With great enthusiasm, I was offered a ride in the hand-operated elevator; and to my surprise once the interior gates closed and we manually turned the operating wheel to one, the elevator timidly ascended to the floor with the principal’s office. Instead of windows in that office, there was burnt plywood blocking both light and air. As my tour continued, I saw a 44,000 sq. ft. building that cried out for attention. That was my initiation to Chez Nous, West 13th St. Practically speaking, I wondered what could be done before we would dare invite our 200 treasured students to their new home. Under the direction of Principal John Joven and Sr. Mary Dolan, S.U., Director of Maintenance Rigo Chery took gallons of Benjamin Moore paint and transformed classrooms into clean and welcoming areas for study.”
For faculty and particularly administrators and office staff, the move was welcome but challenging, as Sr. Mary appreciates, perhaps better than anyone:
“Moving to West 13th St. refocused us on what was really important for the students and faculty, as we had to pick up and adjust in no time flat. (It was good practice for COVID times.) Not having phone lines for 5 months, for instance, made us ingenious at communicating. No water off and on throughout a very hot summer helped us ‘learn the neighborhood,’ but we never closed the
offices! We had construction meetings on top of cartons, learned about unions who became vital to our renovations, and lived through changes, changes, changes.” For the students already enrolled, moving in the middle of the 2001–2002 school year, combined with the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center that same year, made for a traumatic fall but healing spring for the Class of ’02 and their younger Chez Nous Sisters, and definitely a memorable high school experience. Sr. Virginia recalls her plan to help the student acclimate to their new “home” and the great progress made since then: “Hallways lacked any decor, yet the ND girls were anxiously ready and willing to help. And, indeed they did. Back on St. Mark’s Place the girls took copy paper and cray pas, and made rubbings of the old tin wall designs in various colors. Other students worked in our new gym on a donated Moving to West 13th St. roll of paper and created a 12 by 3 foot wide banner full of scenes of NYC landmarks that we refocused us on what was would pass on our way from the east side to the west. All these works of art were framed in a First really important for the Avenue frame shop by a former principal from Afghanistan for a mere $500. students and faculty, Our hallways and classrooms were decorated, and the restoration of our building began quite as we had to pick up and simply. Inspired by the students’ artwork, the Altman Foundation gave Notre Dame School adjust in no time flat. a grant to create an art room and hire an art teacher. Since then foundations, benefactors and ND families have contributed to Notre Dame School and made the complete renovation of our building possible over the past 20 years. Today, we are most grateful for our bright, state-of-the-art, welcoming home and our dedicated, engaging and talented 353 students.” John Joven brings us the visceral aspects of preparing for the move: “Despite all the emotions associated with change, the one thing that brings back the memories of the ‘Big Move(s)’ was auditory. Imagine the sound of packing tape being stretched across boxes of books, science equipment, academic records, and other school stuff. Now take that taping sound and multiply it by our helpers of over fifty teachers, students, staff and parents. Packing tape…that sound of moving on!”
Principal’s Office
Carson Family Science Center
Current Principal Karina Vargas was a member of the senior class that fateful spring. She remembers helping out with other students:
“Many National Honor Society members, myself included, volunteered during Easter break to pack boxes. It was a difficult thing to do, to say goodbye to my home for years; however, I also remember the smiles and hopeful eyes of my younger sisters. As seniors, we were bidding farewell to our beloved St. Mark's Place, but other students were rightly looking forward to the new school setting.”
And Bob Grote recalls the excitement of moving day:
“I remember that sunny April afternoon, sitting on the front steps of ND. Just as the students were exiting, the Liffey Mover trucks came rumbling down St. Mark’s Place and came to a stop right in front of school. The moment had arrived! And it had been six long years in the making.”
Sr. Mary notes the challenges and rewards of this extraordinary mid-year move:
“The students were so resilient. They and their parents acted like it was perfectly normal to pack up your books and empty your locker, take it all home and return with all of it to a different building a few days later. The teachers went from disbelief that we could move into such a Godforsaken wreck of a building to delight, as little by little it was transformed into a beautiful, user-friendly school building. The parents were fully supportive and appreciated all the work that went into a move that took place at the end of April! Obviously, not everything was smooth–like being robbed over the Labor Day weekend of September 2002. If they had only left the computer with the schedule in it!”
Since our move across town, the school has spent nearly seven million dollars on facility improvements, thanks to vigorous fundraising efforts and generous foundation support. Bob Grote wore two hats back then: Director of Admissions and Director of Development:
“One spring day after we’d moved in, Sr. Mary and I visited Russ Carson in his office and told him how much we needed to build science labs on the third floor. We were desperate, actually. ’You can assume we’ll take care of that,’ Russ said. Just incredible! I think we basically stumbled out of that office and then stopped for a celebratory margarita on the return trip to ND.”
When students, faculty, and staff first arrived, several windows were boarded over, interior hallways were dark, and big structural needs soon announced themselves—an aging roof and unreliable boiler, for starters. Along the way, and under the tireless direction of former and current ND Presidents Sr. Mary and Sr. Virginia, every window and pipe has been replaced, and the building has been rewired for speedy and reliable Wi-Fi access. Early on, the school invested in a beautiful library space and art studio on the fourth floor. And thanks to that generous grant from the Carson Family, ND was able to build state-of-the-art science labs on the third floor. We also created a dedicated and comfortable office suite for our three-person, full-time counseling staff. Our Computer Lab has kept up with the times and has been enhanced each year with the latest in technological innovation, including two 3D printers. Seed money from the Class of ’57 allowed us to realize the long-time dream of having our own chapel.
More recently, the Faculty Room had a makeover, and the Dolan Arts and Athletics Center, complete with shiny new floors, and the installation of sound and light equipment, was born from the
John Joven leads the opening assembly in our new location
old gym and multi-purpose room. The basement cafeteria was redesigned as the bright and airy ND Commons. ND is grateful to the Hyde and Watson Foundation for grants toward these improvements. Our newest project is to replace the institutional-looking entrance door with a more welcoming Anne’s Portal that befits Chez Nous, Our Home! From its first impression, from top to bottom, 327 West 13th Street conveys warmth and welcome to our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. It is a setting that inspires learning and where our community can flourish and thrive.
Karina Vargas captures the bittersweet quality of the move across town and the true meaning of a school that feels like home:
“At the time, I saw West 13th as a gift for my underclass sisters, their families, our faculty, staff, and administration. It took me years to realize West 13th was a great gift for me, too. I spent only a few weeks at West 13th before I headed to college; but a few years later, my home welcomed me back with open arms, and that warm embrace is the reason why I always want what is best for Notre Dame and its family, my family, Chez Nous.
Our school location has changed from 79th Street to St. Mark’s Place to West 13th Street; but no matter where we go, our essence remains the same, as does our pride in our community and mission. Sure, many of my fond memories are from St. Mark's Place, but you can build memories wherever you go because what makes them meaningful are the people in them.”
John Joven shares his gratitude:
“I applaud my dear friends and colleagues who made the move to West 13th such an amazing experience. Chez Nous West 13 is more than we ever dreamed possible. A great building with amazing facilities. Friends and benefactors made it all possible; we continue to thank them for supporting all of us dreamers.”
It feels right to give Sr. Mary the last word:
“One thing was sure–God was with us. We trusted that the community of supporters and friends of Notre Dame would increase and respond to the new challenges we would face Chez Nous. Meanwhile, Notre Dame continues to thrive and we are alive Chez Nous with unwavering hope for a brilliant future. Thanks be to God for all the twists in the road that somehow led straight to 327 West 13th Street!”
The Class of 2022
