GIRLS INC

This new facility provides a safe, educational environment for local school-age girls. Due to inadequate space in their existing building, over 300 young ladies had been turned away in the previous five years as programs were scaled down. Stone Group Architects assisted in the site selection through collaboration with Girls Inc., city officials, and neighborhood groups in order to determine the location for the new facility. Stone Group also provided graphics to the owner to aid in their fund-raising efforts. It was critical in the early design stages to determine programming needs and size requirements to help the owner establish a project budget and capital campaign needs. Key goals for the new facility included more space for expanded programming, increased membership and improved physical access for members and their families.

An important design challenge involved allowing public access to the gymnasium while ensuring the safety and security of the girls and staff at the facility. Members will have access to classrooms, library, full-sized gymnasium/recreation center, science lab and computer center. Situated in a local city park, the girls and staff will also enjoy access to an outdoor playground, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, softball field, learning center and performance pavilion.

The exterior of the building is a combination of brick and painted block. Material and systems selections were made to promote energy efficiency and low operational/maintenance costs.