Cardinal Newman High School, 4701 Forest Drive: December 2015 (moved) 7 comments
Well, this has been talked about, and dreaded, for ages, but Cardinal Newman High School has finally left Forest Acres for Alpine Road. The kids went home from this campus for Christmas vacation, and "returned" to the new one. I know that Brueggers, Groucho's and other area restaurants will miss the afternoon influx of the diverse, chatty but very polite mass of students, as will I, and evenings will be somewhat less interesting without the muted roar from the football field. And then, of course, there's the question of "What Next?" The property is apparently already under contract, and to be re-zoned, and it's hard to imagine that whatever replaces the school will be an improvement in the eyes of local residents.
Update 17 January 2017: Demolition on the site has started:
UPDATE 5 February 2017 -- Demolition continues. The old Convent is almost gone:
Narnia
The Convent
UPDATE 17 May 2018 -- I'm going to miss Forest Acres' urban meadow at the Cardinal Newman site:
UPDATE 18 May 2018 -- Townhall with the contractor 24 May 2018. My sister "They're providing dinner? It must be worse than we thought!":
UPDATE 22 May 2018 -- The construction trailers have gone in:
UPDTE 14 June 2018 -- Yep, goodbye urban meadow:
UPDATE 3 March 2019 with pix from 4 November 2018 -- Construction is well underway with buildings being framed, the catchment basin being surrounded with brick landscaping walls and an odd building facade (still in about the same state on 3 March 2019) being put up:
UPDATE 29 March 2019 -- The buildings are really starting to take shape:
Storefront space is already leasing.
UPDATE 26 November 2019 -- The retail side is almost ready for the first stores to open, with Bad Daddy's and Nothing Bundt Cakes marquees already up (Pix from 24 November 2019):
Photosets:
24 January 2016
5 March 2017
2 April 2017
10 May 2018
10 June 2018
4 November 2018
29 March 2019
24 November 2019
7 Responses to 'Cardinal Newman High School, 4701 Forest Drive: December 2015 (moved)'
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Homer
26 Jan 16 at 1:18 am
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It's a tradeoff...while they don't have the Forest Drive businesses such as the ones Ted mentioned within walking distance, they'll have upgraded facilities (both academic and athletic). Who knows though...though it's possible this could result in a buildup of sorts along Alpine Road across the street (only time will tell)...
Several I've spoken with feel that it won't be a probelm for Cardinal Newman to unload this property and I look forward to seeing what becomes of it...personally I think I'd like to see it become a Kohl's as I envision Rosewood/Forest Acres getting one (though the way I understand it, Kohl's has a metric of when the customer base of a store gets to 2 million per a certain metric and if Sparkleberry Square's Kohl's gets to those numbers then chances are Rosewood/Forest Acres would likely get a Kohl's)...perhaps even Camden or Sumter will wind up with one eventually...
Andrew
26 Jan 16 at 2:24 pm
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I went to school there in the 90's where the graduating class was under 40 students, so it is hard to imagine they grew so rapidly requiring more space.
The last news I saw indicates the school,will turn into some number of apartments between 200 and 300 total along with parking spaces and a retail space, but for what retail shop, I do not know.Mrs. M
29 May 16 at 12:32 am
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Town Hall meeting with the contractor at Bethel Methodist 6:30pm 24 May.
ted
18 May 18 at 2:19 pm
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Rhu rho shaggy
John
18 May 18 at 5:13 pm
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I went here and graduated in 2009. As I’ve said in countless posts, I miss the old Forest Acres, with The Happy Bookseller, Goody’s at Richland Mall, Yummilicious Fro-Yo, etc. I no longer live in the area, but when I came back to visit about 3.5 years ago, I almost had a heart attack when I saw that my old school was gone! That’s how it is, I guess...
Paul
5 Aug 19 at 11:03 am
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“School that we loved so ….”
Derrick
10 Apr 23 at 1:59 am
It will be a miracle if the new school doesn't sink into the swamp it's built on. And, guess what kids, you don't have ANYWHERE to go to eat off campus. Unless you want to go the the ratty ass convenience store across the street!!