Boys & Girls Club Grand Opening
On Monday October 2nd, Holst proudly attended the grand opening of the Rockwood Boys & Girls Club!
Project Beginnings
The project began in 2013 after the club and the city of Gresham identified the former Drake’s 7 Dees garden center property as the site for the new Boys & Girls location. Holst became an integral part of the project early on – parceling the land and facilitating a relationship and future shared facilities with Open School and New Avenues for Youth.
Revitalizing the Rockwood Neighborhood
The new development is representative of Gresham’s dedication to revitalizing outer-east Multnomah County and bringing additional support services to children and families in the area. Serving children since 1946, this chapter’s new location at SE 165th Avenue and Stark Street will be a catalyst for this underserved community. The Rockwood Boys & Girls Club hopes to serve 140 youths this year, with the goal of increasing its numbers each subsequent year.
This building, with the support of so many that have stepped up to invest in this club, will open up a whole new world of opportunity for youth in Rockwood.— Erin Hubert, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Club Portland
Balancing High Design with Safety & Security
After an extended planning and fundraising phase, design work for the Rockwood Club began in earnest in 2014. The client desired essential features, including safe outdoor spaces for kids, transparency, clear sightlines for safety and security purposes, and a restrained, simple, and timeless design that would seem attractive, grown-up, and dignified.
Erin Hubert, her amazing staff, and dedicated board have been committed to creating a safe and welcoming place... they wanted a sophisticated and modern facility that didn’t play down to kids, but rather helped elevate them to become successful young adults.— Dave Otte, Principal / Owner
Curated Amenities for Kids
A desired amenity for the club was a dedicated teen center for youth aged 13-18. Holst delivered a bright and spacious space that maintains a mature feel due in part to the dramatic dark grey, sloping ceiling – a necessary design element to incorporate an existing 7,000 sf building into the larger new structure. The teen center includes hangout space, computer labs, and the aptly named “Dream Center.” Donated by Trail Blazers’ C. J. McCollum, this innovative space features staff and equipment to help kids think and dream big.
Built by P&C Construction of Gresham, the overall 30,000-square-foot facility includes a commercial kitchen, a learning center, youth and family services, and an art studio. The new center is also home to a sizable gym, which was made possible in part by Nike. Plans have been made for futsal and soccer fields to be built with help from the Timbers and Thorns charitable organization: Stand Together. Other nonprofits and service providers, such as Open School and New Avenues for Youth, share the campus and facilities with the new club.
Celebrating the New Club
Community members, city officials, local law enforcement, CJ McCollum and Pat Connaughton of the Portland Blazers, as well as former basketball great Terry Porter were all present at the grand opening. Holst was represented by Principals / Owners Kim Wilson and Dave Otte and Project Designer Rick Sanchez.
Holst has been honored to help the Boys & Girls Club of Portland create this facility, and we are excited to see boys and girls thrive here for years to come.— Dave Otte, Principal / Owner
