(Chelsea Update would like to thank Joe Yekulis for the information in this story and Kelly Flaherty for the photos.)
A special grand opening celebration will take place at St. Louis Center on Tuesday, June 12.
The opening of four specialized homes for children, one of which will welcome girls for the first time in St. Louis Center’s history, kicks off the new intentional community concept.
The St. Louis Guanella Village is designed to best serve the unique needs of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the added ability to be home to their loved ones.
Chief Executive Officer of St. Louis Center, Fr. Enzo Addari, is proud to announce that, “St. Louis Center will officially be referred to as St. Louis Guanella Village and our new identity will be unveiled during this event, which will be the most significant yet in our organization’s history. We welcome current and new friends to join us in celebrating our vision for the future becoming a reality.”
The construction of the new Children’s Homes is the culmination of a seven-year $10M capital campaign that has modernized St. Louis Center’s operations and includes a Family Welcome Center, a Special Needs Playground, and a new assisted living home for older adults called Fr. Guanella Hall.
The new homes will replace the current homes, which are a part of the original facility that was built in 1960 as the St. Louis School for Exceptional Boys.
Architects Marco and Cynthia Silveri of Chelsea spent a significant amount of time researching design aspects to best address the needs and concerns of St. Louis Center’s youngest residents. Builder AZ Shmina Construction and civil engineers at Midwestern Consulting brought the joint vision of St. Louis Center and Silveri Architects to life.
The homes’ modern features were designed with the children’s needs in mind, specifically sensory sensitivities. Some of the interior features include: a calming color palette, a sensory/activity room with a therapy swing, full spectrum LED light fixtures in the bedrooms, light tubes to bring in natural light, and environmentally friendly materials.
For more information about St. Louis Center, please visit www.stlouiscenter.org, or contact Public Relations Director Joseph Yekulis at 734-475-8430 or [email protected].
