Case Studies

Chinatown Community Education Center

Location: Massachusetts
Submitted by: Lawrence Cheng

	1) What issues where addressed? • Cultural Identity • Neighborhood Vitality • Community Services • Education • Strategic Use of Resources
	2) What were the results of design? • - The community recognizes through numerous discussions that its future relies on being the cultural/civic and social center of New England's Asian populations. Providing permanent homes for community organizations and service agencies is identified as critical to this vision. • • - The Chinatown Community Education Center was co-developed by two of Chinatown's prominent organizations to be their permanent home. • • - A new energy efficient facility co-developed and co-owned by two community organizations. • • - A building that bridge the business core and the residential areas of Chinatown. • • - Increased capacity to provide social services, employment training, and housing assistance.
	3) How were results measured or accounted for? • - The two organizations successfully raised over $12 million for the development and construction of the building, and provide a model for future community organizations to collaborate on capital projects. • • - The day care center is used to train community members to become child care providers. • • - One example of the expanded services is a newly created "Green Neighborhood Coordinator", who will assist area businesses and home owners to be energy efficient and environmentally responsible. • • - Increase our program capacity in the Education Center by adding a pre-vocational level to our existing Adult ESL and ABE levels. • • - Increase program capacity in our Workforce Development Center by adding three new programs: Building Energy Efficiency Maintenance Program, Energy Efficiency Apprenticeship Training Program, and Sustainable Chinatown Project. • • - Increase the Multi-Service Center service capacity by adding an Employment Center to meet the employment needs of the community. • • - Add a new youth initiative focusing on career building and employment needs of youth aged 14-18. AACA served more than 200 youth in FY2009. • • - Add an early child education and care program: the Buds and Blossoms Early Education and Care Center, a Mandarin immersion with Reggio Emilia approach. Currently the center has 9 enrollments for a capacity of 51 infants, toddlers and pre-schools. • • - There is an increase of about 32% in foundation and corporation support. • • - There is a 28% increase in volunteers to 89 this year. • • - AACA budget increases from $1.5 million to $3 million.
	4) How did the community participate in the design process? • - Many residents and community organizations wrote letters of support and attend public meetings for the two organizations to be designated as developers for the city owned parcel, and to received public monies toward the development cost. • • - The site had been identified as a critical piece of the neighborhood fabric during community workshops as part of the master plan process in 1990 and 2000. • • - Community approvals were seek and obtained through the Chinatown Neighborhood Council and the Chinatown Residents Association. • • - The two organizations were actively involved over a period of four years in shaping the program and layout of the building , including the painful decision to cut one floor off the building in order to meet the budget.