Making a Community Center Out Of An Old Building

Building a community center is a great way to invest in the culture and wellness of a neighborhood or town. They can be used to provide exercise opportunities for the public, meeting spaces for organizations and businesses, event spaces for local festivals, and more. And while it may seem most appealing to build a gleaming new center with modern architectural design and state-of-the-art facilities, that may not be within your budget and the members of the community may not want something of that caliber.
Before you decide on building something new from the ground up, SFA suggests that you at least consider converting a building, like an old gym or business building that is no longer in use. Here, we explain some reasons why converting a building into your community center may be an attractive option.

Budget-Friendly

Purchasing an already-standing building to convert into your community center is, more often than not, a budget-friendly option. Its feasibility will depend largely on its condition. For instance, the state of the building’s utilities such as the heating/cooling systems, wiring, and insulation will tell you a lot about what you can expect in terms of renovation costs. But since the building is already built, you won’t have to worry about drafting up plans and purchasing materials to build something from the ground up.

Good Marketing Angle

If you’re looking at renovating an existing building for your community center, then you can emphasize the benefit that the community center will provide for the surrounding areas. You are, effectively, reinvesting in an area where someone else may have given up. Use this angle to drum up a lot of attention for your location, and watch the community flourish. The more you work alongside community leaders and the people of the surrounding neighborhoods, the better you can tailor your renovations to the needs of your prospective clientele. You can even solicit responses from them, learning what kinds of services and amenities they’d love to see in their newly-renovated facility.

Let SFA Help With Start Your Next Community Center Project

Sports Facilities Advisory specializes in feasibility planning, giving you the best in foresight because of our extensive experience with project planning. When it comes to renovating an existing building for your community center, we can help you anticipate your renovation costs for things like appropriate flooring, equipment, utilities, layout, and more. We can also provide assistance with determining your staffing needs. To learn more about how our services can help you, please give us a call at (727) 877-1791 or check out our planning page.