St Mary’s Cathedral College: $19m plans revealed to extend campus at Woolloomooloo

A Sydney catholic school has revealed $19m plans to extend its campus to an off-site location to provide performance spaces and more. See what’s planned.

St Marys Cathedral College in Sydney could be in for a $19m upgrade after a development application was lodged to extend their senior campus to an off-site location.

Senior students of St Mary's Cathedral College could soon enjoy brand new classrooms and performance spaces if $19m plans for a second college location are approved.

City of Sydney Council is considering a development application for 52-58 William St, Woolloomooloo, as the proposed site of the college extension.

Stage one plan include transforming an existing commercial building by internally fitting out four of its nine levels to create the educational establishment.

Located 400 metres southeast of the existing school on St Marys Rd, the proposed college will accommodate a maximum of 300 students and 15 staff members.

The new location will be accessible from the existing campus via a five-minute walk through Cook and Philip Park.

52-58 William St, Woolloomooloo is the proposed site for a $19m extension of St Mary's Cathedral College in Sydney. Picture: Woods Bagot.

A planner from the project said that the proposed works had been designed to meet the future requirements of the college to improve the environmental, social and economic outcomes for the school.

“The new campus provides an important piece of social infrastructure to accommodate increasing student numbers now and into the future,” the planner said.

“The proposal will contain state of the art facilities, spaces and equipment for use by students and staff. The designs incorporate collaborative and creative learning spaces including a multipurpose performance area and fitness/dance studio.

“These areas will provide a pleasant learning environment and encourage students to learn.”

The $19m plans seeks approval for physical fit-out works to the basement, lower ground, ground and level one of the building. Picture: Woods Bagot.

The basement level tenancies (left) will be replaced by a multipurpose performance area and a fitness/dance studio with male and female change rooms (right). Picture: Woods Bagot.

Plans also propose internal alterations for end of trip facilities, general learning spaces, construction of an elliptical staircase, plus 16 bicycle parking spaces for students and six for staff.

An upper deck structure is also proposed above the existing carpark at the site for a flexible outdoor space with seating nooks, benches, pergolas and tree plantings.

Lodged by Sydney Catholic School (SCS), the development application represents the first stage of a broader masterplan to eventually occupy the entire building, with existing ongoing tenant leases limiting current use.

A planner from the project said the heritage listed site, known as “Peejay’s Building”, is suitable for the college extension given its proximity to the existing campus and accessibility by public transport services.

The proposed site at 52-58 William St, Woolloomooloo is a five-minute walk from the existing St Mary’s Cathedral College. Picture: Woods Bagot.

“The proposal will improve the accessibility of education to the student population in Woolloomooloo and more broadly students living within or near the Sydney CBD,” the planner said.

“An increase in student enrolment will provide local employment opportunities for teaching providing social economic benefits to the local community.

“This will have a very high positive impact in the local community by creating new secondary education and generate significant employment opportunities.”

The announcement of the college extension comes after the appointment of the St Mary’s first female principal, Kerrie McDiarmid, as well as growing rumours that the all-boys Catholic school is soon to make the move to co-ed.

The proposed site at 52-58 William St, Woolloomooloo in 1941 (left) and the early 1950s (right). Picture: “The House that Glass Built” Building Magazine August 21 1941 / Urbis

In a recent Facebook post, St Mary’s Cathedral College Sydney Facebook page replied to a comment stating that they were awaiting a response from the Sydney Catholic School (SCS) board in relation to becoming a coeducational institution.

“Sydney Catholic Schools and the Archdiocese are currently exploring the feasibility of changes in the area of K – 12 coeducation,” the comment read.

“Once a decision has been made by the SCS board, an announcement will be made if the school is to change from its current model. Currently, we are operating as a 3-12 boys college and we are accepting enrolments for boys only.”

Built in the early 1940s, the heritage-listed site at 52-58 William St was once the former head office and showroom for glass manufacturers Australian Consolidated Industries in 1941, a correspondence school in 1965, and now, a nine-storey commercial-use building.

If approved by council, the new college will be open between 7am and 9pm, Monday to Sunday.

Plans are on public exhibition and open for comment until February 2.