Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania Bucks County Division has an impressive new home. The former Temple Shalom synagogue in Levittown features 19,000 square feet of space -- double that of Easter Seals’ old location -- and boasts six times more land, which means more educational programs and services for kids who need them most.
Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania provides a broad range of educational and therapeutic services to over 4,000 children, teens and young adults with physical and developmental challenges. The Bucks County division provides services for nearly 400 families. That number is sure to grown -- many of the center's programs and services had a long waiting list.
Last year, the group decided that their current facility on Trenton Road could no longer meet their needs. That led to the acquisition of the nearby synagogue. The building's grounds already featured beautiful outdoor areas ideal for Seals programs. All the organization needed was some creative thinking to turn the synagogue into a state-of-the-art educational facility for the disabled.
Local architects at Havertown's
Casaccio Yu Architects were up for the challenge. The firm created a design informed by Easter Seals' mission.
"We took very seriously the importance of the Brooks Center to the community," says says George Yu, principal with Casaccio Yu. "We wanted to design an environment that would be warm, nurturing and family-oriented. We incorporated natural light, soothing colors and airy open spaces that are flexible and adapt to the changing needs of students and staff."
The renovated building boasts several classrooms, speech therapy treatment rooms, wide corridors for wheelchair access, skylights and a two-story clerestory spine that fills the interior with natural daylight.
“When I walk through the building, I can see and feel the dedication, compassion and love the Easter Seals teachers have for the children," says Yu. "It is overwhelming and wonderful to think that our design makes these relationships even more rewarding."
After a month in their new facility, the Easter Seals staff are equally overwhelmed. "We are still pinching ourselves when we come to work every day," exclaims Adrienne Young, Bucks County division director, in a recent blog post. "Our new building is more amazing than we could have ever dreamed!"
Source: George Yu, Principal, Casaccio Yu Architects
Writer:
Greg Meckstroth