“I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”
-Pope Francis, Laudato Si’
ARCHITECTURE
EXIGO ARCHITECTURE
211 N. FLORENCE
EL PASO, TX 79901
915.533.0323
LAND SURVEY
PRECISION LAND SURVEY
9166 CANAEA LN.
EL PASO, TX 79907
915.222.5227
MECHANICAL/ PLUMBING ENGINEERS
ALEGRO ENGINEERING, LP
5822 CROMO DRIVE SUITE 105
EL PASO, TX 79912
915.533.0700
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
ALPHA ENGINEERING INC.
1818 E RIO GRANDE AVE. EL PASO, TX 79902
915.838.9900
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Exigo Architecture is honored to present the Visioning and Masterplan Report for Loretto Academy, El Paso, Texas. This report marks a pivotal moment as the Academy celebrates its Centennial and prepares for the next 100 years of fostering women leaders and upholding its Catholic values. With the guiding inspiration from Bishop Schuler’s words to Sister Praxades, “if you succeed in building here, I’ll say you are the special child of our Divine Lord,” this plan is a testament to the enduring faith and exceptional nature of Loretto Academy.
The Visioning and Masterplan Report outlines the framework for transforming and adapting Loretto Academy to meet 21st-century educational needs while addressing deferred maintenance. The plan aligns with the core Catholic values of Faith, Community, Justice, and Respect, and positions Loretto as a beacon of exemplary education.
Laudato Si’ Commitment
On July 25, 2022, Loretto Academy, in solidarity with the Loretto Community, joined the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, initiating its journey to become a Laudato Si’ School. This commitment underscores the Academy’s dedication to environmental stewardship and holistic education. During the 2022-2023 academic year, the Academy developed a flexible action plan and integrated Laudato Si’ principles across its three campus schools. As part of its Centennial celebrations, Loretto Academy embarked on a new era as a Laudato Si’ School, emphasizing sustainability and the welfare of both the Earth and its inhabitants.
Stakeholder Engagement
In June 2023, Exigo Architecture engaged with Loretto Academy stakeholders through a series of workshops and meetings led by Nicole Cobb, President of Loretto Academy. These sessions revisited Laudato Si’ principles and explored their application to the campus’s grounds, buildings, and operations. The process included:
1. Initial Workshops: Stakeholders reviewed presentation boards, providing feedback through green and red sticker dots to indicate preferences and concerns. Discussions were centered on campus grounds, extracurricular activities, the cafeteria, and educational buildings.
2. Focused Group Discussions: Participants were divided into groups to delve into specific areas, addressing necessary improvements and aligning with the Academy’s Laudato Si’ goals. Each group shared their findings with the larger assembly, and all input was recorded.
Masterplan Development
Exigo Architecture utilized historical Trost & Trost drawings and field verifications to create floor plans of existing buildings and develop conceptual designs for the Master Plan. Key steps included:
1. Stakeholder Meetings: Follow-up meetings with stakeholder groups to refine the Master Plan and validate its direction.
2. Schematic Design and Cost Estimation: Development of schematic Masterplan drawings, with cost estimates prepared based on 2024 market values.
3. System Evaluations: Collaboration with Alegro Engineering and Alpha Engineering to assess the condition of existing systems and identify necessary deferred maintenance improvements.
Conclusion
The final Master Plan concepts and renderings were presented to the Board of Directors in July 2024 for approval. This comprehensive plan is a crucial step toward ensuring Loretto Academy’s growth and adaptation over the next century while honoring its commitment to Catholic values and sustainability.
Next Steps
With the Board’s approval, the Academy will move forward with implementing the Master Plan, focusing on enhancing educational facilities, integrating Laudato Si’ principles, and addressing infrastructure needs to support Loretto’s mission for future generations.
Acknowledgements
We extend our deepest gratitude to all stakeholders, Exigo Architecture team members, and the Loretto Academy community for their invaluable contributions to this visionary plan. Together, we look forward to celebrating another century of excellence and faith at Loretto Academy.
For further details or inquiries, please contact Exigo Architecture or Loretto Academy’s administrative offices.
LORETTO ACADEMY
Established in 1812 in Hardin’s Creek, Kentucky, the Sisters of Loretto were the first religious order in the United States that had no foreign affiliation. Under the direction of Father Charles Nernickx, the Sisters of Loretto were the first religious order to bring Catholic Education into the American West.
Their presence in El Paso began when the sisters arrived in our neighbor city, Las Cruces, New Mexico where the first Loretto Academy was opened in 1870. Nine years later, the Sisters of Loretto arrived at San Elizario, where they opened St. Joseph’s Academy boarding and day school for girls. The city of El Paso started growing tremendously with the arrival of the railroad. In 1892, they relocated St. Joseph’s to its current location in central El Paso. Mother Praxades, the Superior, envisioned a college for women in the El Paso/Juarez community. She dreamed of an academy that would extend its arms to all cultures and ethnicities.
In 1921, against the advice of Bishop Schuler, Mother Praxades bought 19 ½ acres of desert land in the Austin Terrace. Bishop Schuler told Mother Praxades, “If you succeed in building here, I’ll say you are the special child of our Divine Lord.” Joseph Morgan and Gus Trost, from the famous “Trost and Trost” architecture firm were chosen to design and construct the school. Mother Praxades asked that the Academy’s wings extend with “open arms”, welcoming members from Mexico, New Mexico, and the El Paso community in a warm embrace.
In 1922, the first classes were held in the building on the corner of Trowbridge and Hardaway, where the Sisters and boarders temporarily lived while the Academy was being built. The following year, in 1923, the school opened its doors for the enrollment of 186 students, 20 of whom were boarders. Bedridden Mother Praxades continued directing the construction of the school until her passing in 1933.
Through the years, Loretto has continued to grow. By 1948, the Academy had a kindergarten, band, a full student orchestra, drama classes, a domestic arts department, several tennis and basketball courts, and even offered horseback riding classes. The Sisters taught French, Spanish, Latin, dance, voice, violin, and piano. By 1957, the school grounds expanded. The school’s gymnasium (HiltonYoung Hall), the cafeteria (Guadalupe Hall), an outdoor pool, and the elementary school building were inaugurated. In 1968, the Ginger Gurss Dance Studio was built, and in 1975, the Karam-Peticolas Playing Field, the outdoor field, was built.
Today, Loretto Academy continues to grow in its tradition of excellence and continues educating today’s youth, producing leaders in the community and nation. Loretto now offers Advanced Placement courses, robotics, theater, dance, art, speech and debate, and clubs and organizations that help the students build confidence and character. Loretto Academy was built for the love and purpose of teaching, in celebration of the mission of the Sisters of Loretto and continues as such today.
1920s
Bishop Schuler told Mother Praxades, “If you succeed in building here, I’ll say you are the special child of our Divine Lord.”
LAUDATO SI’
The Loretto Academy: Next 100 years project is an opportunity to expand the Laudato Si’s vocation “to care for our common home” by teaching those values to the academy and the community. The Laudato Si’ is an encyclical of the new appeal from Pope Francis that addresses an inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. To enhance the vision, learning environments require quality space, the grounds need to be appropriate for the users and connect with nature as one, and lastly to create an architecturally cohesive campus. The current facillities and site require extensive updates and renovations in order to meet the goals of a Laudato Si school. In order for the campus to be developed to its fullest potential, Exigo’s team set out to do the following:
To continue the Laudato Si mission.
To understand Loretto Academy’s functional and technical requirements.
To determine the scope of work and project program: Space types required
Square footages
Adjacencies
To help build the next 100 years’ vision.
LAUDATO SI’ , MI SIGNORE
Praise be to you, my Lord
St. Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.
“Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs”.
Pope Francis Appeal: “A new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR PLANET:
Pollution
1. Pollution and the Throwaway Culture.
2. Climate as a Common Good.
II The Issue of Water
1. Depletion of Natural Resources.
2. Fresh Drinking Water for the Poor.
III Loss of Biodiversity
1. Assessing the environmental impact of any project.
2. Caring for Eco Systems.
IV Decline in the Quality of Human Life
1. Human beings too are creatures of the world.
2. Social dimensions of the environment and social breakdown, Increased drug used, drug and human trafficking, aggression and loss of identity.
3. Learning how to live wisely, thinking of love and love generously.
4. Mental Pollution and development of real relationships with others.
V Global Inequality
1. Human and Natural environment deteriorate together, Nature deterioration is a symptom of human deterioration.
2. Opinion and decision makers far removed from the poor.
3. True Ecological approach always becomes a social approach.
4. Some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate.
5. To blame population growth instead of extreme and selective consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues.
VI Weak Responses
1. Decisions made based on technology, finance and special interests.
2. Superficial Rhetoric.
3. Corruption.
VII Variety of Opinions
1. Acknowledge different approaches.
2. Promote Honest and Ethical debate.
3. Technology does not solve everything.
GOSPEL OF CREATION
Light Offered by Faith
As Christians….”realize that our responsibility within creation, and our duty toward nature and the Creator, are an essential part of our faith”.
II Wisdom of Biblical Accounts
“God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good” (Gn 1:31). The Bible teaches that every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness (cf Gn 1:36).
1. Fundamental intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbor and with the earth.
2. Distorted mandate to “have dominion” over the earth (cf. Gn 1:28).
3. We are not God.
4. Responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings, endowed with intelligence, must respect the laws of nature.
5. Our obligation is to use the earth’s goods responsibly.
III Mystery of the Universe
1. Every creature has its own value and significance.
2. Nature is a gift from the Creator.
IV The Message of Each Creature in the Harmony of Creation
1. Each creature has its own purpose.
2. “ From panoramic vistas to the tiniest living form, nature is a constant source of wonder and awe. It is also a continuing revelation of the divine”.
3. God’s goodness “could not be represented fittingly by any one creature” (St. Thomas Aquinas), Hence we need to grasp the variety of things in their multiple relation-
ships… to better understand God’s plans.
V Universal Communion
1 Living beings are not at the same level nor to deprive human beings.
2. Sense
3. Everything is connected. Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow Human being.
VI The Common Destination of Goods
1. Every ecological approach needs to incorporate a social perspective…that takes into account the fundamental rights of the poor and underprivileged.
2. The Natural Environment is a collective Good.
VII Gaze of Jesus
1. Jesus was in constant touch with nature. Many of his parables were nature related: “The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard…”.
2. He was in such harmony with nature and others were amazed: “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (Mt 13:31;32).
ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION AND SPIRITUALITY
Towards a new Lifestyle
1. Self-centeredness, A seed for collective selfishness.
2. False belief the man is free as long as they have the supposed freedom to consume.
3. Purchasing is always a moral-and not simply- economic act.
II Educating for the Covenant Between Humanity and the Environment
1. Transform awareness and education into habits.
2. Learn to participate and become the “ecological citizenship” (plant trees, consume what is necessary, energy conservation in car pooling, turning off unnecessary lights… etc).
3. Transmit the ecological education in all walks of life: Family, school, friends…
4. Learn to see and appreciate beauty.
III Ecological Conversion
1. Living as protectors of God’s handiwork.
2. Reconciliation with nature.
3. Awareness that each creature reflects something of God and has a message to convey to us.
IV Joy and Peace
1. Conviction of being capable of deep enjoyment free of the obsession with consumption.
2. Less is more.
3. Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and capacity to be happy with little.
V Civic and Political Love
1. Living together and communion, Fraternal Love.
2. We have had enough of immorality and mockery of ethics, goodness, faith and honesty. It is time to acknowledge that light-hearted superficiality has done us no good.
3. Love for society and commitment to the common good.
4. Love in social life-political, economic and cultural-must be given renewed value.
5. Develop a culture of care.
VI Sacramental Signs and the Celebration of Rest
1. Discover God in all things. (Contemplation).
2. The Sacraments are a privileged way in which nature is taken by God.
3. Baptism-Water.
4. Eucharist. An act of cosmic Love, Hidden in a small matte.
5. Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, the “ first day” of creation.
6. Sunday also proclaims “man’s eternal rest in God”.
VII The Trinity and the Relationship Between Creatures
1. Father, the ultimate source of everything; The Son, his reflection, through whom all things were created; The Spirit, infinite bond of love, is intimately present in the very heart of the universe.
2. Consequently, when we contemplate with wonder the universe, we must praise the Holy Trinity.
3. The divine Persons are subsistent relations, and the world, created according to the divine model, is a web of relationships, Creatures tend towards GOD.
VIII Queen of all Creation
1. Clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Rev 12:1) Queen of all creation.
LAUDATO SI’
RESPONSE TO THE CRY OF THE EARTH
ACTION PLAN
YEAR PLAN]
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
ECOLOGICAL SPIRITUALITY
2. 3. 4. 5. 7. 6.
RESPONSE TO THE CRY OF THE POOR
ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION
ADOPTION OF SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND EMPOWERMENT
Loretto Academy STAR (Student Together Assisting Refugees) club helped with a coat/jacket drive for refugee children and adults receiving aid from local organization, Annunciation House.
Photo courtesy of Loretto Academy.
Loretto Academy the “Nun Run”. Service-learning project, organized by the seniors, that consists of a 5k run serving as a fundraiser for the Sisters of Loretto in Pakistan and other charities.
Photo courtesy of Loretto Academy.
Loretto Academy students gardening. Photo courtesy of Loretto Academy.
Loretto Academy hosting the senior mass along with all seniors of El Paso Diocese held by Bishop Mark Seitz.
Photo courtesy of Loretto Academy.
METHODOLOGY VISIONING SESSION
June 3rd, 2023
Loretto Academy celebrated a century in 2023. The academy considered this a pivotal moment to discuss the direction of the school for the next 100 years. Exigo had the pleasure of leading this disucssion together with Loretto Academy staff and board members to help gather information and formulate a master plan vision. In the first hour Nicole Cobb, President of Loretto Academy, and Eugenio “Pacelli” Mesta, President of Exigo Architecture introduced the activities for the day and described the input process.The Laudato Si’ was introduced, prompting a discussion about what the school considered important to implement at Loretto Academy. All responses were recorded.
VISION BOARDS USED FOR WORKSHOP #1
In workshop one, a series of vision boards were presented to gather input on participants prefernces on the school grounds, athletics, elementary school, library, the cafeteria, and the community. Preferences were recorded with either green or red dots as wells sticky notes with additional comments or suggestions. The workshop was very productive and promped many important discussions relatedto Laudato Si.
CAFETERIA
In workshop two, attendees were divided into 5 groups, each with a different discussion topic. Each table had a table leader assigned from the Exigo team to lead the discussion on campus grounds, extracurricular activities, library, cafeteria, elementary school, or high school. The groups rotated after the first 30 minutes and participants were able to join other table topics. Priorities were recorded and at the end of the session the findings were presented to the larger group and any additional commentary was added as necessary.
In the last hour, the findings of each group were placed on the wall were one member was chosen to read out loud the challenges and opportunities of each topic zone. Concluding with any other additoinal comments the members or staff had.
SITE ANALYSIS EXISTING CONDITIONS
VEHICULAR- INGRESS
VEHICULAR- CIRCULATION
SECONDARY AUTO CORRIDOR
TERITARY AUTO CORRIDOR
SERVICE CORRIDOR
CIRCULATION ARROWS
SERVICE CORRIDOR
VEHICULAR- TRAFFIC PEDESTRIAN PATHS
HIGH TRAFFIC
LOW TRAFFIC
PRIMARY WALKWAY
SECONDARY WALKWAY
HIGH PEDESTRIAN FLOW
LOW PEDESTIAN FLOW
SITE ANALYSIS EXISTING
PREDOMINANT WINDS
WINTER WINDS
CLIMATE- SUN PATTERN
EXISTING FIRE HYDRANTS
FIRE HYDRANT DISTANCE 800 LF. MAX ALONG ROAD
FIRE TRUCK (FIRE ATTACK DISTANCE) 200 LF. MAX POINT ACCESS
MASTERPLAN
GUIDING PRINCIPLE: TO ADHERE TO LAUDATO SI’
OBJECTIVES:
• SAFETY
• ACCESSIBILITY
• PRESEVATION
• ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRATION
• CODE COMPLIANCE
• DEFERRED MAINTENANCE
• SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCY
• SCHOOL GROUNDS
• EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
CODE RESEARCH
LORETTO ACADEMY CODE ANALYSIS INTRODUCTION:
Exigo Architecture is pleased to present our preliminary building code analysis for the Loretto Academy Master Plan study. The purpose of conducting our preliminary building code analysis was to determine if the proposed campus improvements for each building will require the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system. Please note, the code analysis presented in this report is preliminary and an extensive building code analysis accounting for additional life safety components will be developed as the project is further developed.
Project Understanding and Code Analysis
2. The work area exceeds 50% of the floor area.
When considering design parameters such as life safety for building occupants, the historic nature of the campus, project funding, and academic schedule, determining if an automatic fire sprinkler system will be required is critical, to properly identify the project budget and construction timeline.
The building code analysis was performed using the following building codes published by the International Code Council (ICC) and local zoning ordinances as adopted and defined by the City of El Paso:
2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
2021 International Building Code (IBC)
City of El Paso Municipal Code of Ordinances and Zoning Map.
As part of this analysis, on September 14, 2023, Exigo Architecture met with Daniel Chavira, Senior Plans Examiner at the City of El Paso to validate our interpretation of building code requirements pertaining to the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system for this project.
Per the International Building Code (IBC) the occupancy classification of Loretto Academy is Educational Group E (IBC Section 305). All buildings receiving new improvements are existing, therefore, the use of the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) served as an appropriate starting point to perform the building code analysis. Additionally, it is important to note that the Loretto Academy campus resides in the Austin Terrace Historic District, an area designated by the City of El Paso as Historic (History R-4 & H #10051, per COEP zoning map).
New improvements will vary in scale for each building and are listed as the following:
1. Main Classroom Building:
Ground Floor:
Provide physics classrooms
Provide Janitor/Storage/IT and Electrical rooms
Upgrade all restrooms to current codes
Main First Floor:
Remove select classroom wall partitions to provide collaboration spaces
Provide study rooms via wall partitions in the existing Library
Provide Janitor/Storage/IT and Electrical rooms
Upgrade all restrooms to current codes
Second Floor:
Remove wall partitions to provide new collaboration spaces and classrooms
Provide Janitor/Storage/IT and Electrical rooms
Upgrade all restrooms to current codes
Additionally, the Main Classroom Building will receive a new mechanical system throughout the entire building
Main Classroom Building Code Analysis:
New construction improvements inside an existing building are defined as Work Areas per the IEBC. Based on the scope and size of work area (in square feet), relative to square footage of the overall building area, the IEBC defines these new improvements as one of three potential Alteration Levels (Alteration Level 1, 2 or 3 per IEBC Chapter 6 Classification of Work).
Per the list of new improvements outlined above, the IEBC classifies these improvements as Alteration Level 2, since the size of work area does not exceed 50% or more of building area (IEBC Section 603 ALTERATION – LEVEL 2). Under section 803.2.2 Group E, fire sprinkler systems are required when both conditions listed below occur:
The work area is required to be provided with automatic sprinkler protection in accordance with the IBC as applicable to new construction.
Currently, the size of work area on each floor does not exceed 50% of the overall floor area, therefore, since both conditions do not occur, a sprinkler system would not be required.
2. Theater under the Loretto Chapel:
The Auditorium will receive a new automatic fire sprinkler system
Auditorium Code Analysis:
No improvements are currently identified for Loretto’s theater, therefore, the IEBC will not require the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system in this space. However, Exigo Architecture recommends that a fire sprinkler system be installed in the theater to modernize life safety protection features for this space.
3. Convento Building:
Ground Floor:
Demolition of existing offices to accommodate new collaboration spaces and classrooms
Upgrade all restrooms to current codes
First Floor:
Demolition of existing offices to accommodate new classrooms
Upgrade all restrooms to current codes
Second Floor: No new improvements
Additionally, the Convento Building will receive a new mechanical system throughout the entire building
Convento Building Code Analysis:
Office spaces on the Ground and First floors of the Convento Building will demolished to provide new classrooms. Per conversation with the City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department, this scope of work would be classified as a change of occupancy per IEBC Chapter 12 Section 1204 Change of Occupancy, and would require the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system. However, COEP Planning and Inspections Department informed us that the Code Official can consider an alternate life-safety system in lieu of an automatic fire sprinkler system.
4. Elementary School Addition:
The elementary school with receive a new 0000SF new addition
5. Cafeteria:
New exterior improvements for seating
Elementary School Addition Code Analysis:
From our understanding the elementary school addition will abut the existing elementary school. This new addition will be designed per the requirements of the International Building Code (IBC) which includes providing a fire rated barrier between the existing school and addition to protect from the passage of fire from either area. A fire sprinkler system will not be required to be installed in the existing building; however, the new addition will receive an automatic fire sprinkler system as part of the design.
Cafeteria Code Analysis
The scope of work listed above would not require the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system.
6. Gymnasium:
The Gymnasium will receive a new automatic fire sprinkler system throughout the building
Gymnasium Code Analysis
No improvements are currently identified for Loretto’s gymnasium, therefore, the IEBC will not require the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system in this space. However, Exigo Architecture recommends that a fire sprinkler system be installed in the Gymnasium to modernize life safety protection features for this building.
