Campus Tornado Update

“EVER GREATER

MAY YOU RISE...”

“...ENDLESS BE

YOUR FAME”

Anyone initially visiting St. Mark’s in the fall of 2020 would have little way of knowing that, just one year earlier, an EF-3 Tornado had swept across campus. Thanks to the tireless work of The Beck Group, additional contractors, and St. Mark’s own Facilities & Maintenance Team, the physical plant at 10600 Preston Road has been largely restored.

RECOVERY EFFORTS ON CAMPUS

While the spread of COVID-19 upended the final weeks of the 2019–2020 school year, a quiet campus also provided construction crews leeway to complete their work ahead of schedule. Throughout the summer and fall, crews replaced damaged roofing on Nearburg Hall, the Alumni Commons, the Fine Arts Wing, the Chapel, Decherd Auditorium, the Lower School, the Green Library, and the McDermott-Green Science Building.

On October 20, 2020, St. Mark’s held a special virtual Chapel service to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tornado. Addressing the community through a livestream, Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini said, “In the past year, we’ve not only navigated the impact of the tornado, but also the ongoing challenges of a global pandemic. And yet, our community continues to thrive. Thanks to the dedication and sacrifice of many who have poured their hearts and souls into this School over time, our foundation is strong, and it provides reassurance that we can and will see our way through whatever challenges come our way.”

RESTORING THE SOUND OF ST. MARK’S

Following the conclusion of the 2019–2020 school year, the Roosevelt Family Pipe Organ began a complex restoration process. Roof damage to the Chapel allowed water to seep into the organ loft, soaking the carefully crafted wooden components. This water, combined with rapid changes in temperature and humidity, caused permanent damage. The 3,432-pipe instrument was disassembled and sent to the Orgues Létourneau workshop in Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, where the organ was originally built in 2014. A large portion of the organ’s wooden casework, internal structure, windchests, and related components including many of the wooden pipes will be replaced. Additionally, the thousands of original metal pipes will be restored. The restoration is on track for completion in 2021 and the organ will be reinstalled by the start of the 2021–2022 school year.

THE FUTURE OF LIONS ATHLETICS

The most obvious reminder of the tornado’s impact lies in the northeast corner of campus. Behind a construction fence is an ordinary patch of dirt where the Thomas O. Hicks Family Athletic Center once stood. In addition, the Al G. Hill ’63 Tennis Center was also damaged beyond repair and now serves as a staging area for construction crews working across campus. This final piece of the post-tornado puzzle poses an important question as well as an opportunity.

In May 2020, the Board of Trustees formed an Athletic Center Planning Committee to evaluate the options for replacing Hicks Gym. Working closely with Jeff Blanchard, the School’s longtime campus master planner, this Committee is carefully evaluating the current state of existing athletics facilities and the opportunities that a new facility could provide.