St. Agnes Deal Will Transform Landmark

For generations, the "Catholic corner" at Wilkens and Caton avenues has been dominated by two institutions--St. Agnes Hospital and a school operated by the Archdiocese of Baltimore; St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys from 1866 to 1950, and Cardinal Gibbons School from 1962 until 2010.

Near the city line--which travels along Caton Avenue south of the hospital--the intersection is a familiar landmark that serves as a gateway to southwest Baltimore County.

Plans by St. Agnes to acquire and develop the property across Caton Avenue will transform this landmark for generations to come.

Some--but not all--of the buildings on the historic Cardinal Gibbons campus will be preserved for the development St. Agnes officials said will be designed over the next year.

According to St. Agnes officials and Cardinal Gibbons alumni who are familiar with plans for the property, the imposing main school building at the corner of Wilkens and Caton will remain in the new development, as will the gymnasium.

At one end of a plaza at the northern side of the campus is an area known as The Grotto, which featured a statue of Mary and a plaque in memory of three students and a teacher killed in a 1968 plane crash. The statue and marker were moved to St. Augustine's Church in Elkridge in November of 2011.

William Greskovich, vice president of operations and capital projects for St. Agnes, said that the hospital plans to transform The Grotto into a memorial to commemorate the history of Cardinal Gibbons School.

The planned development will include a youth park operated by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and recreational facilities for the community, Greskovich said.

The former school's baseball field, Babe Ruth Field, will be at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys.

St. Agnes will also reportedly keep the basketball court and football field, and have invited alumni back for soccer, basketball, baseball, and football games, according to alumni who met with hospital officials last week.