An Inspiring Tour of Procter Hall Construction

Two dozen NCS alumnae and parents took the opportunity Thursday to walk through the construction underway at Procter Hall, getting a firsthand view of the transformation taking shape in this 50-year-old building.

The guests were welcomed to campus by Head of School Kathleen O'Neill Jamieson and Governing Board Chair Elise Rabekoff. Rabekoff thanked the attendees for all they had done to make the Woodley North project a success through the Educating Women for the World campaign, and Jamieson detailed the remarkable changes in the works for Procter Hall. Once the update is complete, the building will feature, among other things, a state-of-the-art library taking the place of the old Procter Gym and classroom spaces particularly suited to NCS's renowned performing arts program.

Completing the final phase of the project requires another $4.5 million, and Jamieson told of the urgency -- and the opportunity -- in raising those funds: Should construction continue uninterrupted into the final phase, the work can finish in June, enabling NCS students to begin using Procter next school year.

With that, the guests crossed over to Procter Hall, where they were met by Emily d'Alessandris and Kevin Bench of Forrester Construction. Once everyone suited up in hard hats, protective glasses and high-visibility vests, they walked in two groups through the main doors of Procter -- the last area where the old windows remain intact. Bench noted that Procter now "is almost more hole than building" because of all the demolition, but he pointed out where this had opened space for the future -- bricks removed to accommodate a new clock tower; classroom walls torn down for what will become the new Middle School Commons; and huge holes cut into the concrete floors to make room for a central, sun-splashed staircase.

The highlight of the tour was stepping into the future library. Five holes cut into the facade for windows look onto the Cathedral, and on a clear fall day, the view from each of these was spectacular, drawing gasps from a few visitors. It was clear that the Jane Henderson Boyden Craige '32 Library will indeed be not only the heart of the NCS learning experience but also the centerpiece of Woodley North. One person on the tour was so inspired that she immediately donated to the project. A slideshow of photographs of the tour is in the Media Gallery.

The Procter Hall renovation will have a dramatic impact on campus life, and more than 800 families have already supported the Woodley North project. For information on how you can help push this forward, contact Jenny Chiang, assistant head of school for advancement, at jchiang@cathedral.org or at 202-537-6357.