Gesu Campus Update – March 2026

Spring is on the horizon at Gesu, and we are looking forward to sunshine and blue skies!

In consultation with Gesu’s Parish Council, we wanted to share a few updates regarding all the awesome work taking place to shore up and beautify the Gesu campus. We’ve completed several significant projects at the church and school over the past two years and are looking forward to the next wave of improvements.

Here is a preview of what is to come this summer:

• Through a generous gift of close to $400k from the Gesu Endowment Fund, we will be replacing the church and school boilers.
• We will remodel the original “brown wing” restrooms on the first and second floors at the school. Estimated at close to $500k, the project will encompass full demolition and renovation of what is currently in place – new plumbing, new fixtures, new ventilation system, and so much more.
• We are investing close to $800k in additional roof replacements and restorations at both the school and the church, tackling the oldest/areas of greatest problem first.
• We continue our Century Campaign Outdoor project with Phase 2, which encompasses the school frontage property. Ultimately, the Phase 2 space can be used year-round and especially in the warm months for our clubs, various parish groups, and camps. It will be a continuation of some of the elements from Phase 1 (fencing, landscape, lighting), but with some key enhancements to the school, including:
• A more distinguished front entrance that is ADA-compliant, as well as better identified with wayfinding signage.
• Short-term (15-minute) parking for 4-5 cars – ideal for dropping off a forgotten lunch or picking up your child for an appointment.
• Patio seating for faculty looking to enjoy lunch outside or for a grade-level team to meet.
• Regraded (hill remains), irrigated, and enhanced green grass space on the 4 corners for use by the students.
• Original plans included a larger outdoor amphitheater-style classroom to seat a full Gesu class. Though approved by the city, at this time we are not moving forward with this element of the project. As we live in the space, we will continue to consider how it can best be used. Be on the lookout in the next two weeks for a message from our Phase 2 Faculty Committee with more updates.

Note: as a reminder, we also included a list of completed projects at the end of this memo.

In addition to the many campus and infrastructure improvements, we continue to honor Gesu’s 100th anniversary in a variety of ways. It is an exciting time to be part of the Gesu community as we prepare for our Gesu Century Gala on April 18. Ticket sales and sponsorships have soared, far exceeding our hopes. Thank you to everyone joining us to celebrate this huge milestone! Proceeds will boost the endowments for both the teachers and our outreach initiatives. This demonstrates our clear support for Gesu at home and Gesu on mission. With over $9.5 million pledged, we are nearing the $12 million goal of the Gesu Century Capital and Endowment Campaign.

We are truly blessed! May this season of Lent bring you joy and peace!

AMDG!

The Gesu Senior Leadership Team

Fr. Lukas M. Laniauskas, SJ, Pastor

Regan Kazel, Principal

Megan Johnston, Chief Operating Officer

Dan Turcu, Finance Manager

• Over the summer of 2024 and again in 2025 (phased), we significantly upgraded the school infrastructure when we replaced the hallway ceiling grids, installed new lighting, painted, and upgraded the wiring for technology and security.
• We installed a brand new security camera system at the school that provides the most up-to-date camera technology and a more robust system for monitoring and reviewing footage, as appropriate.
• We replaced a large section of the school roof that caused major disruption during the 24-25 school year. We also abated the ceilings in the first and second floor hallways and classrooms.
• We completed Phase 1 of our Century Campaign Outdoor project, which resulted in the beautiful outdoor chapel, gathering spaces, fencing, lighting, and landscape.
• We abated the asbestos ceilings in the Church Narthex and installed a brand new ceiling grid and lighting.
• We replaced the church chiller that had been failing us for several years.
• We replaced the church sound system and upgraded our online streaming capabilities.
• And of course, we got to celebrate Christmas in the newly renovated church. The interior was completely repainted, and the pews refinished, with no detail overlooked in the selection of the colors and finishes. The new Tabernacle is a beautiful and symbolic representation of our Jesuit connection, and the new confessional space allows for better traffic flow and provides another option for someone to have a quiet moment in prayer.