Cover Story Section LEFT: The dedication took place just 32 weeks after the same group used their ceremonial shovels to break the (nearly frozen) ground for the new facility. RIGHT: By June 10, the reinforced concrete structure had been topped out. The transformation from this shell to the finished building took just over three months.
will be used for wrestling practice, batting practice, and large team meetings. These amenities are complemented by a trainer’s room, locker/shower rooms, meeting rooms, and a beautiful main lobby at the southern entrance. Most striking is the Perkins Center’s exterior design, executed by the Manhattan-based architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB). “Sleek,” “modern,” and “classy” are among the most commonly heard adjectives when visitors describe the architecture. Notably, just a few years ago BBB provided the architecture for the conversation of Burke Hall into the Donald P. Moriarty, ’48 Science Center, and currently they are finalizing the architectural and construction documents for the major interior renovations to Mulry and Hogan halls that are scheduled for summer of 2017. Construction of the Perkins Center was executed by Fields Construction Company.
Along with celebrating the opening of the new building, this event also was a celebration of its namesake, Bill “Guy” Perkins, ’86, whose lead gift made this project possible. During his student days at Grand &
Warren, Perkins played football under Coach Jerry Bellotti as the program was transitioning rapidly from a multi-season losing streak to a spot in the state playoffs. During
those years as a Prep student-athlete, Perkins formed a particularly close bond with
Rich Hansen, the team’s young defensive coordinator, and they have stayed in touch ever since. In his remarks at the dedication ceremony, Hansen, who has been athletic director and head football coach since 1989, noted that particularly over the last decade, Perkins always encouraged him to reach out if there were any special projects or initiatives that could use outside financial support. Those subsequent discussions did, indeed, take place over the last decade, Rich Hansen was all smiles at the dedication ceremony – and rightfully so. The with Perkins quietly supporting the acquisition of a sophisticated software evening was a celebration, not just of a new base for five of the 19 teams he oversees, but of his longtime friend, Guy Perkins, ’86. package used by the coaching staff and updated weight training equipment. In early 2013, during the presidency of Bob Reiser, S.J., Prep had initial discussions with a local developer that was interested in purchasing a parcel of the school’s land adjacent to Keenan Field. One speedbump concerned Prep’s need to find a new building for its locker, wrestling, and weight rooms that existed in two former warehouse/office buildings that sat on the property in question. As luck would have it, Hansen had a conversation with
This large room on the third floor will host wrestling practices in the winter and batting cages for baseball in the spring. But following the dedication, it also served as a good setting for a cocktail party!
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