Large Academic Building Proposed At Greenwich Private School Campus

GREENWICH, CT — One of Greenwich's private schools is seeking to construct a large academic building to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming.

Sacred Heart Greenwich, the private, all-girls Catholic day school for students in pre-K through 12th grade, recently submitted plans to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission for a pre-application review.

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The plans call for the demolition of the existing 2,434-square-foot Duchesne Duplex faculty housing unit and its six parking spaces, submitted documents state.

A new three-story, 25,900 square-foot freestanding STEM building, with a glass-enclosed bridge connection between the building and the adjacent main academic building, is proposed.

"Over the last 25 years, STEM education has changed dramatically. Contemporary instruction is no longer limited to traditional science coursework housed in conventional labs; it now emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, engineering design, computational thinking, data analysis, robotics, research, and the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence," Michelle Cronin, a certified planner working on the proposal with Sacred Heart Greenwich, wrote in submitted documents.

"Accordingly, SHG’s curriculum already highlights STEM as a significant part of student life through its observatory program, which underwent major updates in 2018, student participation and recognition in statewide STEM and science competitions, and its recent leadership in the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence into education," Cronin added.

"These initiatives illustrate that Sacred Heart’s program has expanded well beyond conventional laboratory science and now requires space that can support contemporary research, design, computation, presentation, and collaborative project-based learning."

Cronin noted the new building "will be designed to complement the Georgian architecture of the existing academic buildings while incorporating contemporary architectural elements reflective of its academic purpose."

Several site improvements are being proposed as well, such as the inclusion of two parking spaces in front of the new building, and the widening of the existing drive to accommodate fire truck access, handicap access and establish a loading/drop-off area.

Lighting and landscaping improvements in the area are also proposed, along with utility and infrastructure upgrades.

"Modest" renovations within the existing Gillespie Wing to convert the existing science classrooms into visual arts, music or general classrooms and support spaces are proposed, Cronin explained.

The Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission is expected to conduct a pre-application review in the coming weeks.

The pre-application process allows for a nonbinding discussion with the commission about the pros and cons of a proposal before a substantial investment has been made in developing plans, reports, and studies.