Centers for New Horizons at Altgeld Gardens

The 22,000 S.F. childcare facility is a major component of the Altgeld Family Resource Center, a mixed-use building designed for the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA).  The operator, Centers for New Horizons (CNH), has been running a daycare operation at Altgeld Gardens for a number of years but was in need of renovation and looking to expand. With this in mind, it was determined that CNH would get space in this proposed new project.

The main focus of the center are two larger spaces, the motor skills room with its dynamic, soaring ceiling and the adjacent enclosed outdoor playground. These form the focal point of the facility and can be both viewed and accessed directly from the lobby. Classrooms are laid out along two corridors with younger kids along the south corridor and older kids to the north. A key consideration during the design process was to make the place feel open and spacious and provide plenty of teacher work space and storage.

In designing the center, KOO had to work through a complicated user program, navigate city, state, and federal design guidelines, comply with licensing requirements, and integrate this user into the larger building framework. The childcare center has its own entrance, separate from the rest of the facility, with adjacent parking. The program can accommodate up to 150 kids, ages six months to five years spread over 12 classrooms. The facility also includes administrative spaces which are large enough for staff and outside social service personnel; there is a full commercial kitchen, laundry and staff room. The larger Altgeld project has incorporated many sustainable features and has achieved LEED (v4) Gold.

• Go here to see the rest of the Altgeld Family Resource Center
• Go here for more on the library at Altgeld

Role

Project Manager from conception through the completion of construction. Led the in-house and consultant project delivery effort and was the main contact with the Chicago Housing Authority and childcare provider.

• Firm: KOO LLC

More

For a profile of the rest of the Altgeld Family Resource Center, Go Here. For another type of childcare, the Cook County Child Advocacy Rooms, Go Here. For information on other childcare and related work (including schools, libraries and other civic projects), go to my Projects Page.