Schools
New Brunswick Theological Seminary Breaks Ground on New Building
The new building at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary expects to welcome students in fall 2014.
A historic seminary located right here in New Brunswick literally broke ground on Wednesday to begin the next phase of its almost 230-year history.
The New Brunswick Theological Seminary, founded in 1784, sits on "Holy Hill", an elevated portion of Seminary Place near the intersection of George Street. It is the oldest Protestant seminary in the U.S., overseen by the Reformed Church in America.
On Wednesday, administration, teachers, students and alumni of the seminary gathered in the Gardner A. Sage library to celebrate the construction of a new building, projected to be completed by the fall 2014 semester.
The new 30,000 square-foot building will be situated on Seminary Place, near the intersection of College Avenue.
It will have a chapel, classrooms and offices, conference space, a lounge and courtyard for students to gather, and a 100-car parking lot.
The seminary is building the new structure after selling about half their land to the New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO) as part of a redevelopment of the College Avenue corridor that also involves Rutgers University.
The remaining land will house the new building, designed by DEVCO to be environmentally sound, modern and technologically smart, according to the seminary.
DEVCO president Chris Paladino described the dedication as "historic" and credited seminary President Gregg Mast for having "broadened the vision" of the seminary and for having been helpful and forward-thinking during the planning stages of the project.
As Paladino, Mast, New Brunswick Mayor James Cahill, and officials from the seminary thrust golden shovels into the dirt of the new building site, a construction crew was already working behind them.
Robin Suydam, chair of the building committee for the seminary, delighted in describing the new building in great detail, focusing its tall glass structures, communal student areas and new chapel.
"I think you can see...why we are so excited about this place," she said.
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