The Charterhouse School, a K-12 program for students with mental health and behavioral issues that’s operated by nonprofit UMFS. (Photo courtesy of UMFS)
A local nonprofit has wrapped up an expansion of its schoolhouse, a project that followed the completion of a neighboring treatment center last year on its campus near Scott’s Addition.
United Methodist Family Services recently completed the addition of 23,000 square feet to its Charterhouse School, which is on the UMFS campus at 3900 W. Broad St. The nonprofit holds educational programming for students with mental health and behavioral issues in grades K-12 at Charterhouse.
The $11 million project added nine additional classrooms, two of which are dedicated to career and technical education. The expanded building also includes a new cafeteria and kitchen to feed students.
The expansion allows UMFS to consolidate its K-12 program, which had previously been conducted in the Charterhouse School alongside other places on campus, as well as give the program more room to grow.
Katie Moore
“This building helps us to increase our capacity by 25 percent,” said Katie Moore, UMFS’s vice president of development. “But the larger reason why we moved forward with the addition is that we were plugging into classroom space wherever we could find it.”
With the two-building school facility now totaling about 50,000 square feet, Charterhouse can grow enrollment from its current count of 110 to 150 students. Regional public school systems refer students to the program.
“The demand is there in the community,” Moore said.
Prior to the creation of the new student cafeteria, UMFS employees would pick up lunches from nearby Thomas Jefferson High School, which would then be served on campus. The nonprofit has contracted with Maryland-based Culinary Services Group to operate its new dining facilities.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the addition was held in early October, and classes were first held in the new space in August.
The project was previously anticipated to cost $9 million, but higher labor and material costs, as well as some changes to the design of the dining facilities, led to a more expensive project, Moore said.
Kenbridge Construction was the project’s general contractor. RRMM Architects designed the project.
Funding for the expansion came from various sources, including philanthropic giving as well as a portion of proceeds from the nonprofit’s $26 million sale last year of the Guardian Place senior apartments complex at 1620 N. Hamilton St.
UMFS also funded the project with revenue from its land-lease agreement with Spy Rock Real Estate, which has built the Ella mixed-use development on UMFS land on its Broad Street campus.
The nonprofit has its headquarters on the 33-acre campus. The school expansion came as the second and last phase of a campus-wide capital project UMFS unveiled plans for in 2014. The Child & Family Healing Center, a 33,600-square-foot residential treatment facility, was completed last year as the first phase of the project.
The nonprofit was founded as an orphanage in Richmond in 1900. In addition to its school program, UMFS offers foster care, on-campus residential treatment and other services to children who have special needs.
The Charterhouse School, a K-12 program for students with mental health and behavioral issues that’s operated by nonprofit UMFS. (Photo courtesy of UMFS)
A local nonprofit has wrapped up an expansion of its schoolhouse, a project that followed the completion of a neighboring treatment center last year on its campus near Scott’s Addition.
United Methodist Family Services recently completed the addition of 23,000 square feet to its Charterhouse School, which is on the UMFS campus at 3900 W. Broad St. The nonprofit holds educational programming for students with mental health and behavioral issues in grades K-12 at Charterhouse.
The $11 million project added nine additional classrooms, two of which are dedicated to career and technical education. The expanded building also includes a new cafeteria and kitchen to feed students.
The expansion allows UMFS to consolidate its K-12 program, which had previously been conducted in the Charterhouse School alongside other places on campus, as well as give the program more room to grow.
Katie Moore
“This building helps us to increase our capacity by 25 percent,” said Katie Moore, UMFS’s vice president of development. “But the larger reason why we moved forward with the addition is that we were plugging into classroom space wherever we could find it.”
With the two-building school facility now totaling about 50,000 square feet, Charterhouse can grow enrollment from its current count of 110 to 150 students. Regional public school systems refer students to the program.
“The demand is there in the community,” Moore said.
Prior to the creation of the new student cafeteria, UMFS employees would pick up lunches from nearby Thomas Jefferson High School, which would then be served on campus. The nonprofit has contracted with Maryland-based Culinary Services Group to operate its new dining facilities.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the addition was held in early October, and classes were first held in the new space in August.
The project was previously anticipated to cost $9 million, but higher labor and material costs, as well as some changes to the design of the dining facilities, led to a more expensive project, Moore said.
Kenbridge Construction was the project’s general contractor. RRMM Architects designed the project.
Funding for the expansion came from various sources, including philanthropic giving as well as a portion of proceeds from the nonprofit’s $26 million sale last year of the Guardian Place senior apartments complex at 1620 N. Hamilton St.
UMFS also funded the project with revenue from its land-lease agreement with Spy Rock Real Estate, which has built the Ella mixed-use development on UMFS land on its Broad Street campus.
The nonprofit has its headquarters on the 33-acre campus. The school expansion came as the second and last phase of a campus-wide capital project UMFS unveiled plans for in 2014. The Child & Family Healing Center, a 33,600-square-foot residential treatment facility, was completed last year as the first phase of the project.
The nonprofit was founded as an orphanage in Richmond in 1900. In addition to its school program, UMFS offers foster care, on-campus residential treatment and other services to children who have special needs.