Christian Brothers Academy took a major step toward the newest round of campus upgrades on May 15.
CBA is an independent, Catholic, college-preparatory school for young men in the Lincroft section of Middletown.
The academy held its ceremonial groundbreaking for multiple new facilities, as part of the
ongoing Forever CBA: Securing Our Mission capital campaign, according to a press release from the school.
“Since the founding of CBA in 1959, building and enhancing the academic, athletic and
cultural facilities has always been an important part of our strategic planning,” said President Brother Frank Byrne. “The campus plan at CBA has always been ‘in motion’ so we can build and enhance the facilities in order to meet the needs of our students.”
The ceremony was held in between two buildings that will be reconstructed – the Round
Barn and McKenna Hall. The new buildings will be built in the same footprint of the soon-to-
be demolished structures, according to the press release.
More than 100 alumni, parents and supporters were present at the ceremony, as they celebrated the upcoming construction and more than $11 million raised in the Forever CBA campaign.
With a goal of $12 million, more than $6 million will be allocated for facilities upgrades. The remaining funds will help grow CBA’s scholarship offerings and school endowment, which currently stands at more than $30 million, according to the press release.
“We would not be here today if not for the generosity of our donors, parents, board members and alumni, who have unselfishly supported this capital campaign,” said Don Norkus, chairman of the Forever CBA campaign.
“It is exciting that construction will begin shortly, but we are not at the finish line yet and look forward to reaching the $12 million goal and completing the remaining projects,” he said.
The Round Barn and McKenna Hall were original structures on CBA’s 157-acre campus,
left over from the former Whitney Greentree Stables that had occupied the property along Newman Springs Road (Route 520), according to the press release.
The Round Barn, which originally trained racehorses, was converted into a practice facility
for the academy’s running teams.
To that end, the new Tom Heath Round Barn will be a state-of-the-art track facility, equipped with a synthetic running surface, energy efficient lighting, radiant heat and roof ventilation, a multipurpose practice infield, a classroom and restroom facilities, according to the press release.
McKenna Hall, named after CBA’s first principal Brother Bernard McKenna, will be a two-story building that will serve a variety of academic and extracurricular purposes.
Two additional athletic facilities will be built during this phase of the construction: the
Sheehan Track and Field Complex, and a soccer and lacrosse complex.
The new Sheehan Track and Field Complex will feature an eight-lane track that incorporates a natural grass infield. The facility will provide enhanced spectator viewing, including accessible bleachers. A new scoreboard, sound system and equipment shed will complete the facility, according to the press release.
The soccer and lacrosse complex will be visible from Newman Springs Road and will replace the existing track that currently occupies the area. The facility will feature an artificial turf playing field and bleachers with accessible seating, as well as a new scoreboard and sound system, according to the press release.
The Forever CBA campaign was started in 2017 with a silent phase that garnered more than $8.4 million from academy supporters. The campaign was publicly launched to the CBA community in October 2019.
Future projects within the campaign include reconstructing the Benilde Hall office building,
additions to the tennis courts and varsity baseball field, and the expansion of the
campus cafeteria and Alumni Hall multipurpose room, according to the press release.
