The Salvation Army North Corps Community Center provides an array of services for the surrounding community including meals for seniors at lunch; after-school, nutritional snacks, activities, and homework help for school-age children; programs designed specifically for women; an active basketball program; and a chapel to name a few. However, the existing facility is undersized, poorly organized, and does not have nearly enough space to do any of its many functions well.
AO was engaged to review the existing facility and determine what, if anything, can be done with the building and limited space available. A three-phase development strategy was then developed to allow the critical functions of the Salvation Army to remain operational during construction.
The first phase will consist of relocating the existing parking area north of the alley on an underutilized property owned by the Salvation Army. Consecutively a new administration/group activity area, as well as a larger chapel adjacent to the relocated entry will be added to the west of the existing multipurpose gym. These spaces will be filled with light and invite the community in.
The second phase will consist of demolishing the space east of the multipurpose gym that contains the existing administration/group activity areas and chapel. In its place will be a larger competitive gym for basketball and volleyball, locker rooms, and a fitness center. A hallway on the south side will allow the first two phases to remain open during phase three.
Lastly, the third phase will include the renovation and/or replacement of the multipurpose gym and a new, larger commercial kitchen.