The 14,000-square-foot center enables Easter Seals to provide
more needed services to area residents. Instead of one infant
room, for example, the center now has five. “Infant care is the
primary need in this area; in a five-mile radius, we are the only
infant care public provider,” said Sophia Berry, the executive
director of the center. There are also five toddler classrooms and
one classroom each for three, four and five year olds.
“We love the new building,”said Berry.“We have an outside area
connected to the classrooms with a beautiful playground and
a garden. Each developmental age group is sectioned off with
a gate so the children can go outside. We have water play and
sand play out there, we have balls and hoops. The children are
active and moving constantly.”
The playground fall zone, which covers the whole area behind
the building, feels like little bubbles. “The children love playing
on it, andwedont have todeal asmuchwithbumps andbruises.”
Berry said.“The water drains off and goes right into the ground.”
Monarc Construction, meanwhile, has found a new
headquarters site in Fairfax County and is currently working to
get the necessary approvals for construction there.
What initially looked like a real loss for the community—the
displacement of the Child Development Center from its old
space—ended up being a good thing in the end, said Snyder.
“Easter Seals went from being a tenant in an old building to the
owner of a new building. They doubled their capacity, they have
favorable financing, and the building is really attractive and
conducive to the kids who use it.
“There were a lot of obstacles, but wemanaged to find solutions
to all of them and to overcome them because of the good
teamwork and everyone wanting to make it happen.”
n
The permeable playground mat, grass and landscaped areas
allow stormwater to trickle down into an underground storage
area and then slowly trickle out
Building Washington 11
