Three renovation projects with St. Vincent de Paul in Baltimore contributed to the organization’s continued work to improve lives.
A little boy sits on the floor and plays with his race cars. At a nearby computer, his older sister plugs in her headphones and gets started on some homework. Sitting in a soft chair behind them, their mother fills out paperwork on a clipboard, waiting for the caseworker to call them back.
It’s a small comfort to the family — a safe place to wait, to play, to learn. For some, it will be a spot where they gather, the starting line to new opportunities and a chance to begin again.
When Lauren Myatt, Architect and Principal at Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, pictures families in this space, she hopes they feel welcomed, safe, and supported. Here at the St. Vincent de Paul Center in North Baltimore, Myatt and her colleagues have contributed to a space where stories can be rewritten.
‘More than just an update’
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects’ relationship with St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore goes back several years. Named after the chaplain who served the homeless and hungry, the nonprofit organization continues that mission of housing and feeding those who need it most. When three of its spaces needed reconfiguring to better serve the community, St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore called on Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects to help.
At the St. Vincent de Paul Center, where families receive assistance with jobs, housing and healthcare, the organization wanted to create a space where people could wait comfortably and where staff could have the adequate space to continue learning.
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“This was more than just an update,” says M&D’s Architect Kyle Giumento. “There was space here that wasn’t being used because it didn’t serve them, and that presented an opportunity to look at it in a different way.”
An old kitchen and a dining area previously used for staff was turned into a waiting space for families coming in for assistance. A new breakroom was created on the third floor, in addition to a new training center, where updated fixtures and moveable furniture provide a more functional space.
Needed changes
At the Beans and Bread Center in Baltimore, a homeless day facility, the Architects created a family-oriented area where adults can meet with counselors and research employment opportunities. The bustling center, which has a lot of activity from people coming in for meals and families meeting with job counselors, needed more divided space for its various functions.
“Now, people have different areas to be in - depending on why they’re at the center,” Giumento says. “There’s a computer workstation for older kids to do homework and soft seating where people can comfortably wait. It serves them a lot better.”
At Innterim House in Pikesville, a transitional house for families, the Architects designed a new family kitchen, dining area, and manager’s apartment. This facility has about 10 units on the second floor for families who may spend six to nine months in the home while they find job stability and regain independence.
With an updated kitchen, families can cook their own meals with ease. The design also included removing a wall between the dining room and main living space, opening it up for more seating and better flow.
The new manager’s apartment also gives a staff member the option to stay in the home overnight. Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects converted an old conference room and small storage space into a studio apartment, complete with a kitchenette, closet, restroom, and seating area.
Up for the challenge
The renovations presented a few challenges, including a quick turnaround so St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore could take advantage of available grant funding. The facilities also had to remain in operation while construction work was being completed, although COVID-19’s limits on gatherings earlier in the year left fewer people in some of the buildings.
The pandemic’s strain on the community meant St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore’s services were in even higher demand.
“Being the designers of spaces that support St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore's mission is very rewarding,” Myatt says. “It invokes an additional layer of importance for us to really maximize the project's value and potential. There’s a deep commitment to get it right for the residents and building users.”
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