Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, Waukegan Education Facility, Illinois Architecture, USA Building Interior News
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Illinois
July 9, 2022
Architects: JGMA
Location: Waukegan, Illinois, USA

Photos: Dimitre Photography Inc.
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, USA
The Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep (CRSM), a member of the national network of Cristo Rey schools, is a new high school campus as progressive as its students. As their current facility no longer meets the basic needs of their students, CRSM looked towards their neighbor, an abandoned department store, to become their new home. JGMA selected CRSM to complete the renovation and construction assignment for its new high school campus in Waukegan, Illinois.
The renovation and construction assignment of Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep required the comprehensive transformation of an abandoned big box store into a contemporary educational facility serving over 400 students. The former building structure had no identity and no physical or emotional connection to the community. The design-build team?s challenge was to break down those barriers and develop an innovative design that would inspire the students, faculty, administration, and community.

The expectation of CRSM students is already elevated to that of a college student; therefore, they deserve a facility that emulates this. The new facility strives to match CRSM?s innovative pedagogy, giving students the high-quality camp...