Winter Haven Housing Authority

Lake Deer Community Center Rehabilitation

GLE was selected by the Winter Haven Housing Authority to complete their Lake Deer Community Center Rehabilitation (Building Renovation). GLE’s proposed design for the Lake Deer Community Center transitions a vacant vandalized building into an aesthetically pleasing and functional community center and office space. The renovation will involve creating a reception area to control entry into the facility, open office spaces and two executive office suites. The other existing spaces, such as the community center, storage rooms, kitchen and restrooms, shall be upgraded to meet accessibility requirements as well as the building occupant’s needs. 
 
The interior remodel will include the installation of new lighting fixtures with controls as a sustainable feature to allow the user to control the amount of artificial light required. The HVAC system will also be upgraded to allow for a better indoor air quality. The restrooms will require new plumbing fixtures and redesigned to meet ADA requirements. The kitchen will also be upgraded to meet ADA requirements and will also feature Energy Star appliances as a sustainable feature.

The exterior renovation will consist of rehabilitating the existing skylights to allow for natural light to flow into the space. This will give the user better lighting and create a more airy sense of space. The existing rotted T1-11 will be removed and replaced with new exterior sheathing and stucco to give the building an up to date appearance. The design will also feature a brick wainscot around the perimeter of the building to aesthetically tie the structure together. Upon inspection of the building it is clear that the existing exterior storage needs to be demolished and rebuilt. GLE’s design reconstructs the exterior storage to match the aesthetic of the existing building by installing a pitched roof and finishes to match the rest of the building. There are also exterior doors that are not required as a means of egress. GLE proposes to remove the exterior doors not required as a security measure and install windows in their place.
 
A key feature of the design is creating a main entry to the building; this is done by installing a modern entry and walkway canopy to the existing and new columns. Besides giving visitors a clear visible entry, these canopies provide shaded seating areas and protection from the weather upon entering the facility. A proposed new monumental sign also designates this building as being occupied by the Winter Haven Housing Authority.

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