Catholic Diocese of Columbus

Diocese of Columbus: 29 Years of Facility Partnership Across Schools, Parishes, and Central Office

• Diocese: Diocese of Columbus (23 counties across Ohio, 10 deaneries, 81 parishes)
• Schools Served: St Charles Preparatory School, St Francis DeSales High School, Bishop Flaget, Bishop Hartley High School, Notre Dame, St Vincent DePaul, St James the Less, Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Additional Facilities: St Joseph Cathedral, The Chancery, Holy Cross Church, St Matthias, St Pius
• Services: Planning, Architecture, Interior Design, Facility Management

A Partner Who Understands How the Diocese Works

The Diocese of Columbus spans 23 counties across Ohio, organized into 10 deaneries with 81 parishes. Each parish and school operates and fundraises independently, with the guidance of a central office that includes a school superintendent, a director of real estate, and a director of facilities. Building projects require the Bishop’s approval, with the central office advising on the quality of plans and the selection of architects. Through Real Presence, Real Future, the Diocese is actively encouraging parishes and schools to engage in strategic master planning. Over 29 years, Triad has built relationships across this system, earning trust one project at a time. That experience means every new project benefits from a deep understanding of how the Diocese operates, from the head of school to the parish pastor to the central office staff who advise the Bishop.

Master Planning Across the Diocese

As Real Presence, Real Future encourages strategic planning across the Diocese, Triad has already delivered master plans for multiple Diocese schools. St Charles developed a plan that included the neighborhood and led to successful fundraising for the Convocation Center and Brotherhood Center. Bishop Flaget explored adding a high school and Pre-K. Bishop Hartley evaluated programming expansion, and fundraising is now moving forward. Notre Dame planned across two campuses, earned the Bishop’s approval, and has advanced into the design phase with a strong fundraising process. St Vincent DePaul explored the possibility of adding a high school. Immaculate Heart is planning for a new unified campus following the consolidation of two parishes. Each plan was tailored to its community, designed to demonstrate design, cost, and schedule, and built to serve as the foundation of a fundraising campaign.

Building Projects That Navigate Diocese Campus Challenges

Diocese school campuses carry their own challenges: tight sites, historic review areas, neighborhood dynamics, fundraised budgets, and the need to maintain operations during construction. St Charles’s campus required acquiring land from a land bank, craning a building in over four surrounding structures on an occupied campus, and sustaining neighborhood trust through multiple projects. The Convocation Center grew enrollment by an average of 8% annually. The Brotherhood Center was patterned after college student unions, giving college prep students a preview of university life. St Francis DeSales converted a convent into the Franciscan Center, using augmented reality to help the leadership visualize the transformation. Each project was funded through private donations and delivered within the constraints of the campus.

Capital Improvements That Maintain and Inspire

Between the headline projects, Diocese schools need the steady capital improvement work that keeps facilities performing. Triad treats these projects as opportunities to make spaces more competitive and inspiring. St James the Less updated its restrooms to change how the school presents itself to families. St Charles maintains an ongoing capital improvement program that treats every space, from classrooms to the chapel to the stadium lighting, with the same care as its headline buildings. When the delivery method calls for it, Triad Facility Solutions provides integrated design-build construction to streamline delivery and protect budgets.

Central Office, Cathedral, and Parish Facilities

Triad’s experience within the Diocese extends beyond schools. Projects at St Joseph Cathedral, The Chancery, and Holy Cross Church demonstrate the depth of the relationship with the Diocese’s central operations and most prominent facilities. Smaller projects at parishes like St Matthias and St Pius show the breadth. This range of experience, from the Diocese’s central offices to individual parish improvements, means Triad understands how the system works at every level: how the central office evaluates plans, how parishes fundraise, how pastors make decisions, and how to deliver results that earn the confidence of the staff who advise the Bishop.

By the Numbers

• Partnership Duration: 29 years across the Diocese
• Schools: St Charles Preparatory School, St Francis DeSales High School, Bishop Flaget, Bishop Hartley High School, Notre Dame, St Vincent DePaul, St James the Less, Immaculate Heart
• Central Office and Parish Facilities: St Joseph Cathedral, The Chancery, Holy Cross Church, St Matthias, St Pius
• Project Types: Master plans, new buildings, additions, renovations, capital improvements, feasibility studies
• Enrollment Impact: St Charles Convocation Center grew enrollment by 8% annually
• Construction Complexity: Land bank acquisition, craning over four surrounding buildings, augmented reality visualization, neighborhood trust building
• Funding: Every dollar raised through private donations
• Services: Planning, Architecture, Interior Design, Facility Management (Design-Build)