Gonzmart Hall Blessing & Dedication

Jesuit High School celebrated a historic occasion in the school's history on March 2, the Blessing & Dedication of Gonzmart Hall. (A special video from the event is below.)

The spectacular new 32,000-square foot Administration and Student Center is the handsome and elegant face of Jesuit on Himes Ave, and will serve the school and the greater Tampa community for generations to come.

Jesuit president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J. bestowed the blessing, and one of Jesuit's most generous benefactors, Richard Gonzmart '71, was recognized with the dedication of the facility.

"Today we are celebrating not just the progress of the construction effort, but we're also celebrating the legacy of a very special man, a very special alumnus," Fr. Hermes said. "A man who has faithfully served our community for so many years, in so many ways: Richard Gonzmart."

The completion of Gonzmart Hall marks a major milestone in Phase I of Jesuit's Campus Master Plan, which is supported by the school's landmark $40 million 'For Greater Glory' capital campaign. The remaining primary elements of Phase I, which broke ground in the summer of 2016, will be completed later this spring: the Chapel of the Holy Cross at the heart of campus, and Oliva Courtyard, which will connect Gonzmart Hall with Holy Cross Chapel on Jesuit's beautifully upgraded campus. 

"The best investment one can make is in the education of a child," Gonzmart said. "I just hope that the young men that are receiving this gift of this great education will look back when they're my age and say it was the best years of their life."

Also speaking at the event were the Chair of Jesuit's Board of Trustees, Joe Caballero '86, principal Barry Neuburger, and student council president Tyler Peterson '18, who presented the time capsule that was then sealed inside the building, to be opened in 2118.

Others in attendance included Joe Capitano Jr. '84, who, along with his father, Joe Capitano Sr. '56, and brother, Frank Capitano '87, donated $3 million to the 'For Greater Glory' campaign; Mike Daigle '65, Pat Carroll '98, and Bill Schifino '78, who were recognized with named spaces within Gonzmart Hall; and Ray Hyer, P '01, Ronald Leal P '09, and John Oliva '60. Capitano Jr., Hyer, Gonzmart, and Oliva all are Chairs of the President's Campaign Cabinet.

After the ceremony, guests toured the spacious new facility, which includes the Valdes Family Lobby (Michael Valdes '81), and new space for Jesuit's administration, college counseling, IT, admissions, foreign language department, digital communications class and JTNN (the Jesuit Tigers News Network), and six new classrooms. 

The event was live-streamed by JTNN, and covered by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and the Tampa Bay Times.

Please view a video below of the Gonzmart Hall ceremony, and below that is a photo slideshow.