Cristo Rey Fort Worth High School has purchased a new campus to strategically accelerate the school’s growth. The new 4.47-acre campus is located at 2633 Altamesa Boulevard in southwest Fort Worth.
The announcement of the purchase is being made this week to students and their families, prospective families, philanthropic supporters, business partners in the Corporate Work Study Program, and community and civic leaders, according to the school.
The school’s Corporate Work Study Program helps make Cristo Rey affordable to its families. Students spend four days a week in the classroom and one day a week working in entry-level corporate jobs in companies across Tarrant County. The school has a contract with Catholic Charities Fort Worth to provide transportation for students between campus and their place of work. The school’s Corporate Work Study Program partners pay $32,000 this year for a full-time equivalent position that is shared by four students. The program enables Cristo Rey students to earn more than half the cost of their education.
“As we planned to expand our facilities, we expected our Terrell Heights property to meet our needs. However, the opportunity for expansion at Altamesa, which includes an existing gymnasium, auditorium and room for an athletic field, leaves no doubt that this new location will catapult us forward much faster, and ultimately be four times less expensive than where we are now,” said Charlie Morrison, Cristo Rey Fort Worth High School Board Chairman.
Vantage Bank Texas is financing the purchase of the property. Rattikin Title handled the real estate transaction.
Ministerio Gracia Church sold the property. Gene J. Livens, CCIM of Service Realty Inc. represented the seller and assisted the buyers.
The building on the site is 41,000 square feet. The campus is is 4.47 acres.
Cristo Rey Forth Worth will continue classes at its Terrell Avenue campus through the remainder of this school term and will officially open at the new Altamesa Boulevard site in July for the 2019-2020 school year.
Cristo Rey Fort Worth High School was conceived in 2015 with a vision to increase access to affordable, quality, college-preparatory education for Tarrant County families. The school opened in July 2018 to its founding freshman class of 75 students. Moving forward, the school will add freshman classes each year and grow to include grades 9 through 12 with a targeted total enrollment of over 450 students. The inaugural class will graduate in 2022. The school’s current address is 1007 E. Terrell Avenue in historic Terrell Heights.
“Cristo Rey serves students from across Tarrant County, and the county is growing. We are thrilled that our new campus will enable us to meet the increasing need for affordable, quality, college-preparatory education. The new campus will directly benefit the students’ academic and life experiences,” said John Pritchett, Cristo Rey Fort Worth High School President.
“A $5.5 million capital campaign began silently in January 2019 to make the $2.7 million purchase and the needed $2.8 million in capital improvements. Generous leaders in the greater Fort Worth community have already committed over $2.8 million, enabling the purchase of the new campus. The school will continue to rely on philanthropy for over $2 million every year in ongoing operational support,” Pritchett said.
Families interested in applying to attend Cristo Rey may contact Mary Perez-Shannon, Director of Admissions at mperezshannon@cristoreyfw.org. Cristo Rey serves students whose families are of limited economic means, regardless of their faith tradition. The values-based curriculum includes theology. Students attend weekly mass, but there is no requirement that students be Catholic to attend the school.
Organizations and Companies interested in the Corporate Work Study Program may contact Dani Ray Barton, Director of CWSP at dbarton@cristoreyfw.org.