Saint Anne’s, which has been providing service to women since 1908, recognized and wanted to meet the need of young mothers emancipated from foster care and needing transitional housing and support. Housing, counseling, training and a child-care facility comprised the building program to be constructed within the existing urban setting.

ONYX collaborated with the St. Ann's building committee to craft a design that would meet their programmatic needs and would also unite the disparate parts of this urban, neighborhood campus.

An L-shaped structure completes the campus and creates a greatly needed common open space. The first floor of the building has a 10,000 square-foot Childcare Center designed for 100 children from infants through preschool. Needs of the children and their caregivers were met through custom tailoring everything from the classroom configurations to the support areas, indoors and out.

The first floor also contains support functions for the 38 transitional apartment dwellers on the second and third floors. The 580 SF sunny apartments have bay windows, energy efficient kitchens and an oversized bedroom for a mother and child. The apartments provide a setting for young women to learn the skills that are necessary to be productive, self-sufficient adults.

PRINCIPAL | Steve Kuchenski

DESIGN LEAD | Douglas D. Joyce III