January 25, 2018

Holy Names plans parking under new gym

Holy Names Academy in Seattle needs more parking, so it plans to put some under a new gym it will build, school officials told the city.

The school, at 728 21st Ave. E., intends to partially demolish its gym at the south end of campus. In its place it will build a 246-stall underground garage topped with a new 13,500-square-foot gym, according to information filed with the city.

The all-girls private Catholic high school also plans a new 32-space parking lot at the north end of the campus.

Broderick Architects is the architect.

Elizabeth Swift, Holy Names head of school and principal, did not reply to a request from the DJC for comment.

She told city officials that the new parking would be for students and staff and for guests coming to sporting or other events on campus who would otherwise rely on off-site parking.

Holy Names Academy bills itself as the oldest continually operating school in Washington. It was founded by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in 1880.

According to the information filed with the city, it has 710 students, 81 full-time staff and 48 coaches and adjunct positions.

School officials told the city there are no plans to increase enrollment or the number faculty with this plan to add parking.

Plans with the city note that the facades of the replacement gym will be broken up with columns and cornices which borrow from the language of the existing 1908 school.

The school is in an area with single-family homes.

Darren Briner, Holy Names' director of IT and school plant, told the city that neighbors are hosting meetings to discuss restricted parking zones and other densification countermeasures. He said the school is concerned it will lose significant access to parking if the zones are enforced.

News about the school's plan previously appeared in the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog.