While many urban Catholic schools nationwide are shutting their doors due to dwindling enrollment, Oakland Catholic High School is about to celebrate the completion of a two-phase, $20 million refurbishment and addition to its campus on North Craig Street in Oakland.

Bishop David Zubik will bless the all-girls' diocesan school at a dedication ceremony at 7:30 p.m. next Thursday in the school's new gymnasium.

Oakland Catholic was established by Bishop Donald Wuerl in 1989 by combining students from Sacred Heart and St. Paul Cathedral high schools, which then closed.

School President Katherine Freyvogel said it was clear from the beginning the school would need improvements. In 2003, the Diocese of Pittsburgh and the school's board commissioned a master plan and hired the Pittsburgh architectural firm of Celli-Flynn Brennan.

Improvements included the Donahue Pavilion, which houses a new gymnasium and workout facilities; a refurbishment of the dining hall and kitchen; an updated library and computer lab; and a chapel that seats 150.

"We're excited to be able to celebrate Mass on site," Mrs. Freyvogel said.

Ground was broken for the two-phase project Oct. 28, 2003.

Mrs. Freyvogel said that many factors dictated the ambitious improvement plan, including rising enrollment, changes in education and Oakland Catholic's many sports programs.

"We have always focused on offering our students a quality Catholic education, and we wanted the young women in our school to be able to develop their full potential," she added.

While enrollment in Catholic schools nationwide has declined every year since 1965, Principal Dr. Maureen Marsteller pointed out that enrollment at Oakland Catholic has risen from 452 in 2002, when she joined the administration, to almost 600 this year.

"We're doing very well -- almost better than we can keep up with," she said. "It's a very exciting time."

As to what is driving rising enrollment, Mrs. Freyvogel and Dr. Marsteller pointed to increasing interest in single-gender and values-based education.

"It isn't just Catholic parents who are interested in what we offer," Dr. Marsteller noted. "We have girls from Jewish, Muslim, Baptist and Protestant homes."

Dr. Marsteller said only part of the rise in enrollment can be attributed to the school's improvements.

"We were increasing enrollment while our students were walking through mud and gravel, having classes in trailers," she said. "It blew my mind."

Improvements also include new windows, fixtures, lighting and floors; new biology, physics and chemistry labs; and an outdoor terrace.

Mrs. Freyvogel said that Phase I of improvements were paid for through a capital campaign, and that the school took out a bond issue to pay for the $8.8 million needed for Phase II.

She said construction, by Tri-State construction firm Massaro Corp., was completed ahead of schedule.

"Most of it was done by last April, so last year's seniors could enjoy it," she said. "They had lived through a lot of the construction, so that was wonderful."

She said landscaping still had to be done, but noted the project had changed the appearance of the area around the school.

"We're changing the landscape on Craig Street dramatically."

At a time when Catholic schools in urban areas have been especially hard hit, Mrs. Freyvogel said Oakland Catholic's multimillion-dollar improvements prove the school's commitment to staying in the city.

"We're not going anywhere," she said. "Our new facilities will help to revitalize the whole area, and service to community is inherent to the mission of the school."

Dr. Marstellar said she believed Oakland Catholic's success was due in part to the atmosphere of respect and serenity the school maintains.

"Even during construction, there was a calmness, a reassurance, and I think the girls feel that.

"We always had the spirit. Now we have the facilities to match it."