George School presents 20- to 30-year campus master plan; officials say enrollment will not rise
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Summary
The George School presented a multi-phase campus master plan to Middletown supervisors covering academic, residential and community upgrades; leaders said the plan is intended to maintain current enrollment of about 540 students and improve facilities rather than increase capacity.
MIDDLETOWN — Representatives of The George School presented a conceptual master plan to the Middletown Township Board of Supervisors outlining phased campus improvements over the next two to three decades.
Ed Murphy, representing the school, said the master plan is broken into multiple phases and that the first phases are funded and likely to come before the township as individual land development submissions. “It is expected that…each individual phase as it's going to be presented constitutes a land development plan,” Murphy said, adding the school hopes to negotiate a master plan agreement with township staff to provide predictability for future phases.
Robert Klimenhagen, director of the physical plant at The George School, outlined the initial projects: an expansion of the Walton Performing Arts Center lobby and restroom renovations; construction of four single-family homes on the north campus (funded by a donor gift); and a connector building between Bancroft Hall and the Spruance Alden Science Center with full renovations. Klimenhagen said later phases could include replacement of the Hollowell Building (visual arts) with a 30,000–45,000 sq ft facility, a student union/dining hall and relocation of maintenance facilities.
School representatives emphasized the plan is not designed to increase overall student enrollment. “The answer to that is no,” Murphy said when asked if the plan would increase student numbers; Klimenhagen added the school currently enrolls about 540 students and aims to remain at that level with a target boarding-to-day ratio near 55% boarding, 45% day students.
Board members asked about timing and traffic impacts; Klimenhagen said the Walton project could appear before the board within two months and that most construction would occur within the campus and would not affect main roadways. He said the Walton renovation posed logistical challenges because the auditorium is used during the school year, but said the projects are intended to improve aging facilities rather than expand enrollment.
No formal action was required at the meeting; the board received the conceptual plan and staff and school officials said future phased land-development plans would return for review and permitting.