Cedar Falls Catholic school, church under renovation

CEDAR FALLS | The oldest local Catholic church and its school are getting facelifts.

St. Patricks Catholic Church and school are embarking on a $2.75 million renovation. Peters Construction Corp. has started laying groundwork for the project and the parish launched a campaign to pay for it.

Whats really great about it is were seeing some growth in the school, this is growth not only in numbers but in quality, and it allows for a lot better program, said the Rev. Dennis Colter, pastor at St. Patrick Catholic Church.

Part of the project will also, quite literally, give a new face to the church. The plan is to create a more welcoming fellowship entrance area, with construction slated to begin in July and complete by Easter 2015.

But its mainly focused on the kids and making things better for them, Colter said.

Like the church, the school is getting an updated but more secure front entrance. When that part of the project is complete, by Christmas, individuals will be buzzed-in from the main office. The school is also adding an elevator for easier access to all three levels of the building.

By the start of school in August, students should have a modernized multipurpose room which includes the library and media center and hosts the before and after school program and space to gather for prayer.

Natural light will flood from new windows, donated large-screen televisions will be mounted on walls and comfortable, moveable furniture will allow students to do group work in any area of the room.

It will be more chapel-like said Bradley Best, president of Peters Construction, working on the project.

The school is also expanding some classrooms, updating the science lab, the cafeteria and the music rooms. Teachers will be getting a larger lounge as well. And the entire school should be air-conditioned by summer 2015 or before.

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Cedar Falls Catholic school, church under renovation