St. Agnes Hospital said Friday that it has no plans to acquire the property of the neighboring Cardinal Gibbons School or to expand beyond its current footprint.

The hospital's supposed interest in the Cardinal Gibbons property has been the subject of longstanding rumors that resurfaced this week when the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced that the high school for boys would close at the end of the school year.

Cardinal Gibbons is the only high school among the 13 schools the archdiocese plans to shut down in June.

In a statement e-mailed to reporters Friday, the hospital said it had enjoyed "a long and solid relationship with Cardinal Gibbons School" and was "deeply saddened by the recent news of its closing."

The statement continued:

"Cardinal Gibbons faculty and students have been an important anchor for the community and will be missed. Despite recent speculation by those outside of the hospital community, Saint Agnes has no plans to acquire the Cardinal Gibbons property. We are in the midst of an extensive expansion project that, when completed, will allow us the facilities we need for our growing hospital community and we do not anticipate any further expansion beyond the current footprint."

On Thursday, Bishop Denis J. Madden said there was no foundation to the rumors of a property transfer. He said St. Agnes had asked in the past about the possibility of leasing space at the school for parking, but said the discussion was unrelated to the school closing this week.