Message from SJNA President: Land Development

Dear Parents / Guardians, Alumni, and Friends:

In 2021, SJNA announced completion of a sale/leaseback of the campus property with The Hendricks Group that enabled us to eliminate all the Academy’s bank debt, provide additional operational funding, and assure that we will have complete control of our main campus for at least the next 40 years. That transaction also involved the sale of excess land, including the golf course and the land with homes on the north side of St. Johns Road, with the intent to develop it into high-end residential single-family homes.

Consistent with my commitment to open and transparent communications, today I share an update related to the above land development.

As previously reported, the area on the north side of St. Johns Road will be developed by Miller Marriot Construction, a luxury home builder. Miller Marriot just closed on the property within the last couple of weeks. I have been in regular contact with their president, Chris Miller, who has pledged that they will build a first-class development and cooperate with us to respect the integrity and operations of the Academies throughout that process. Mr. Miller has informed us that he expects the razing of current structures and new construction to begin in earnest in early May 2023 and continue into the Fall 2023. Be assured that the main entry and archway to the campus will remain by the development, and all campus activities and parking needs will be accommodated. (Click Here to View Site Plan)

With that said, I am excited to report that within the near future, the new corner property within this development at St. John’s Road and Farrand Street will be available to SJN and alumni, as a new reception/gathering area for alumni reception events, and more; courtesy of a generous donor.

The Hendricks Group is engaged with another luxury residential developer to build the homes on the golf course land. Those plans are still under development and a construction timeline has not yet been finalized. (Click Here to View Site Plan)

Be assured that the main campus of the Academies, including all of the residential, classroom and administrative buildings as well as all of our sports fields and the parade field are not included in, nor will they be changed by, the above development activity. All of our traditional operating activities will continue, just as they have in the past.

I am keenly aware of the strong attachment, respect, and emotion affiliated with St. John’s Northwestern and our campus. While we may have regrets that the appearance of our campus surroundings will change and that there will be short-term disruptions involved with the construction activity, I am very confident that the final result will complement our Academies and our mission. The 100-year-old homes on St. John’s Road necessitated much of our time and resources that could have been better utilized to serve our core mission – our cadets and prefects. We remain the only high school in Delafield and have sufficient acreage to grow and develop new infrastructure.

Finally, I am very pleased to report that SJNA is on its way to restoring a strong and vibrant Academy, with growing enrollment. As of today, our enrollment stands at 166, an increase of 20% since the start of the academic year! Our fall enrollment is trending substantially ahead of last year’s schedule, and we are well on our way toward a strong increase for the next academic year.

St. John's Northwestern Academies remains an important Beacon to many during this era within our society, and we are marching persistently forward!

Respectfully,

Robert J. Fine, Jr.

President

St. John's Northwestern Academies