Fuss & O’Neill was hired to rebuild the new Pope Francis High School, reutilizing the site of the old Cathedral High School which had been damaged by a tornado in 2011.

Fuss & O’Neill is responsible for site design, engineering, and landscape architectural components. This project consists of traffic and pedestrian control solutions, design and construction of tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, a practice field, and a synthetic turf multi-sport field with track and press box/bleacher system. We also designed and detailed school signage. Our commitment to green infrastructure is demonstrated through the use of bio-retention basins at the shallow end of the site.

Separating the student entry and gymnasium entrance, seat walls were designed as an outdoor classroom and gathering space. The entryway is designed to facilitate heavier pedestrian traffic with wide walkways and private seating areas.

The site topography proved challenging. Careful coordination with the designing architect allowed the building to be set into the hillside, opening up the site for greater design improvements.