According to The Cap Times, Vera Court Neighborhood Center “was a major player in turning around a struggling neighborhood in the 1990s, and its programming has been so popular that it [outgrew] its building.”
The Vera Court Neighborhood Center was unable to provide services at an appropriate scale and had begun transporting some children to other sites to complete homework, because it was too loud and crowded in the center.
Its board of directors reached out to NCI-Roberts Construction, which had completed a project for them in the past, and launched a public $2.2 million fundraising campaign, “Vera Vision 2020,” to enable an expansion of space and services. The groundbreaking and campaign were featured in local media including Madison365 and WMTV NBC 15.
The 3,464 square foot addition doubles the size of the existing facility and includes a dedicated wing for middle and high school students, classrooms, offices, a multipurpose room, bathrooms and storage space. The exterior features a metal façade and a mix of smart siding and aluminum soffit. Metal is also used as interior wainscoting throughout the space for durability.
NCI-Roberts had previously completed a kitchen, bathroom and computer lab remodel for the center, along with complete interior upgrades.
The addition decreased transportation and transition time and increased dedicated study time for students, and allows the center to add literacy tutoring and staff, and new family workshops.
Opened in 1994, Vera Court Neighborhood Center serves 5,000 residents each year, 95 percent of which are low-income, and aims to help all children it serves achieve grade-level standards in math and literacy. Its board of directors also serves the Bridge Lake Point Waunona Neighborhood Center and the Latino Academy of Workforce Development.
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