By Frank Elementary School in Guadalupe an old abandoned building once sat unused, empty, and in need of a vision. Before it was left unused, it had a lot of life as it has been a bakery, a beauty salon, a barbershop, and a behavioral health center.

Together with the Guadalupe Community Partnership, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, local residents and the International Interior Design Association’s Connect4 Project, we put our words to action to engage in healthy community design. This building was the perfect opportunity to get the right people together to mobilize the caring power of our community for an adaptive reuse project. The Connect4 partnership is a professional association that collaborates with a valley non-profit to benefit from a remodel project that is centered by community needs by motivating the design industry to take action in their unique ways.

The outcome is a breath of new life into the building named the Seewa Tomteme Guadalupe Community Center, Yaqui for blossoming flower. It is a place where teens and children can learn, residents can collaborate, and everyone can continue the vision for the town. The Guadalupe Community Partnership, comprised of organizations supporting Guadalupe residents, is looking forward to bring their services and outreach to the new space. Watch the incredible transformation in the video below.

But what is “adaptive reuse” and why is it important?

Access to healthy public spaces for local residents is an important element of a healthy community design. Adaptive reuse is a strategy for healthy community design that centers the needs of local residents then informs the redevelopment of old facilities or vacant land.

We thank the partners that made this happen for the Seewa Tomteme Community Center include:

• The Pascua Yaqui Tribe
• International Interior Design Association
• Layton Construction
• Dunn Edwards
  

“This amazing resource center is a testament to the great things that can happen when people work together and its proof there are many people outside the towns limit’s that care about this community and acknowledge it’s potential. We have no doubt that amazing things will happen here and we are grateful to have been a part of it.”

- Erica Freshle, Chair of Connect 4 Committee, Fresh Concepts

No single organization can do it alone. This project is a testament to the great things that can happen when people come together to fight for the success of our neighborhoods. We have no doubt that amazing things will happen at this new community center and we were proud to be involved.

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Check out another example of our work in adaptive reuse with The Story of the Heart of Isaac Community Center in Maryvale.