Photo Credit: Courtesy of City of Chandler Recreation
The Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley’s Compadre branch in Chandler, Ariz., completed a quarter-century journey in August, and began a new chapter in the fall. After occupying the same facility since 1983--the former Seton Catholic High School--the club moved into a new 33,000-square-foot facility with conservational attributes, additional amenities and extra space for increased programming for youth and community events.
In May 2007, Chandler residents approved an $8.5-million bond vote to fund a new interactive, dynamic headquarters for the club. In January, the site near the corner of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard began the transition from old to new with a groundbreaking ceremony; it wrapped up in August with the demolition of the three old buildings to make room for additional parking spaces and landscaping areas.
Designed by the BCA Companies, and built by the Chasse Building Team, Inc., the new club stands as a shining model for incorporating traditional after-school programs with first-class computer technology. The facility--dedicated in November--is not only the largest, but also the only LEED-certified Boys & Girls Club in Arizona.