OUR BLOG

Exciting changes are underway on our campus! After years of planning and strategizing, our ambitious campus expansion project is finally coming to life. As with any major construction endeavor there have been, and will continue to be, numerous steps along the way, Here's what’s happened so far:

In January, we started the process of abatement, which is where we removed any existing asbestos from the church before beginning the renovation process in Fellowship Hall, one of our main gathering places. Even with classroom closures, we still successfully continued our regular afterschool programming, allowing students and staff to engage in art and learning with minimal interruption. Now the church is set for new renovations! Fellowship may be closed for now, but we are excited for everyone to eventually enjoy a brand-new Fellowship Hall which will include new flooring, new colors, and nine individual bathrooms.

“Because the Institute serves such an important mission, every design choice we make is carefully considered to support the Institute’s work and create a great setting for the students, teachers, and staff," says architect Nestor Bottino of Steinberg Hart. "We are very intentionally shaping the different rooms, choosing materials, and studying how natural light will enliven the spaces.The design team is working diligently with the Institute to make sure that the resulting buildings reflect the Institute’s existing character, capture its boundless creativity, and create an arts campus that will inspire current and future generations. We are thrilled to be part of the Institute’s creative process and can’t wait to see the transformed Institute come to life.”   

In February, we finally received zoning approval from the City of Elizabeth to begin Phase A of our construction work, which will include the creation of the new building and rehabilitating the Manse building. Obtaining approval was no small feat. Our initial hearing took place last November, with many members of our Institute community showing their support for us at City Hall. However, an unexpected rescheduling pushed our hearing to January. Despite this, we pressed forward. Thanks to the dedication of everyone involved—our lawyers, engineers, and architects—and the relentless support of the Institute community, we secured preliminary approval that day and received final approval in February. 

Now that we have all the necessary approvals, we’re making great progress on important infrastructure work. If you’ve been on campus recently, you’ve probably noticed the trench between the Manse and the church—it’s hard to miss! Our construction team at Gregor Industries has been working diligently to install new electrical lines to power our future facilities, all while keeping safety a top priority.

To help keep everyone safe, the parking lot behind the church is temporarily closed to the public—but don’t worry, our main parking lot is still open. We’ve also built a small bridge to make it easy to get between the Manse and the church. Construction is moving along steadily, and we’re committed to finishing each phase as efficiently as possible, always keeping our students in mind.