Kaplan Construction

Architect:

studioMLA Architects

Client:

Horizons for Homeless Children

Scope Of Work

Horizons for Homeless Children, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of young children and their families, recently selected Kaplan Construction for the construction of a new 55,000 SF early childhood center and headquarters at 1785 Columbus Avenue in Roxbury, Mass. The new facility consolidates three existing centers into one, allowing Horizons to serve 30% more children in a space better suited to high-quality early childhood education and programming for families working to establish stability. The facility serves 225 children ranging in age from two months to five years and began welcoming families in April 2021.

The children’s center features two floors of indoor and outdoor space incorporating trauma-informed design strategies. The space includes a large STEAM activity space, a children’s library and literacy center, and a gross motor recreation room. Twenty-two new classrooms ranging from infant to preschool allow Horizons to increase their capacity from 175 to 225 children. Light-filled shared and private office space, family engagement rooms, meeting rooms, and flexible community space occupy the administrative areas. Sixteen of the 22 classrooms enjoy dedicated outdoor access to the infant and preschool playgrounds, allowing for ease of transition. Designed with the help of an occupational therapist, the two outdoor play areas totaling 10,000 SF were constructed on dedicated above-ground surfaces on the second floor.