Robert Strock ’23

---

 Loyola Hall, the newest building on the SJ campus, the new face of Strake Jesuit, has thrilled the school with its speedy construction and magnificence. The building comes with a new and grand entrance to the school and provides a variety of welcome resources for faculty, staff, and students.

 “So far, I’ve been really impressed by the building,” Max Jamieson ‘23 said. “The classrooms are extremely nice, the design is unique, and of course it’s always a treat to have extra quiet areas to work when we need them.”

Our faculty have been similarly impressed.

“Loyola Hall has been an excellent place to work,” Academic and Personal Counselor Ms. Schwarz said. “I love how clean and organized everything is. My office feels so welcoming, and I love hosting meetings in our department. I feel very grateful that I get to work in such a beautiful space.”

Another aspect that students enjoy about Loyola Hall is the free space for work. Many students were previously faced with a major issue: the only quiet areas available on campus during a free period were in the library. However, as the school has begun to grow, more space was needed. The new building solved this issue by constructing “meeting rooms” as well as providing other tables and booths, where students interact and work during community time and free periods.

“The free space was definitely a plus for the building,” Alex Fuentes ‘23 said. “The library was getting a little crowded sometimes, so it’s always great to have extra quiet areas I can go to.”

The building, constructed atop the former rugby field, an area of the school located at the Gessner entrance just behind Zinnamon Hall, provides a state of the art environment for teaching. 

“Loyola Hall has been spectacular,” Social Studies teacher Mr. Amorosa said. “The extra space, ability to move furniture easily, use multiple screens for teaching, and be in the big, comfortable classroom is a game changer. It has changed my route through campus, but I love it.”

Construction began on December 7th, 2020 with a groundbreaking ceremony. The building was completed in January of 2022, faster than many had expected. 

“I was extremely impressed by the speed of the construction. I’m happy they were able to complete it in time for my last semester,” Kale Watts ‘22 said.

With Loyola Hall facing Gessner Drive, SJ now has an impressive front entrance commensurate with the scale of our campus and school mission.