Swinging the first sledge hammer to begin the renovation of the former Immaculate Heart Hall is Rector Msgr. Jeffrey Monforton. Joining him is John Duncan, Sacred Heart's director of facilities management, center, and George Beal, vice president of JC Beal Construction, one of the lead contractors

Demolition began in November as the first step in the construction of new third floor living quarters for seminarians, says John Duncan, director of facilities management.

"There has been an increase in seminarian enrollment in both the college and theology programs," he explains, "and that has necessitated the creation of the new living quarters."

The estimated $3 million renovation of the former Immaculate Heart Hall—a seminarian dormitory closed down in the 1970s—will take approximately two to three years to complete, and will create possibly twenty-three new dormitory rooms. The space will include rooms for resident priest suites, common areas and common bath and laundry facilities.

Fr. Michael Byrnes, vice rector and director of seminarian formation, says "We are currently at one hundred percent occupancy for housing our collegiate and pre-theology seminarians, and we are at seventy-nine percent for our graduate theologians. With a steadily increasing interest by other dioceses in our formation program, we are faced with the urgent necessity of 'widening our tent pegs.'"

The renovation project encompasses the area on the third floor from the bell tower due east facing Chicago Boulevard. It includes demolition of former dorm rooms and what has most recently been a large storage area in the northeast corner. Former locker rooms and a lavatory, north of the development and stewardship office facing Linwood Avenue, are also included in the demolition and renovation.

The project is being completed in phases to carefully control the budget. Thus far, major demolition has been completed, and selective demolition is now ongoing.