WINONA, Minn. – Cotter Schools has begun work on a new kindergarten through sixth-grade school built around the old Loretto Hall dorm. The Loretto building, once part of the College of St. Teresa, is being renovated, but with major additions on the side off Wabasha Street. Mary Eileen Fitch, president of Cotter, said the new school will accommodate 600 students. There will be additional classrooms for band, music and art, and science and technology labs — as well as a cafeteria, gym, library, outdoor play areas and green spaces, Fitch said. Schwab Construction of Winona is the primary contractor. CRW Architecture of Rochester did the design. The renovation and construction budget is covered mostly by local individuals, Fitch said. There will be additional fundraising for technology and furnishings, she said.
Loretto Hall. The core four-story structure will be hardly recognizable after major renovation.