Built over 60 years ago, the Washington Community Center is the main location for all of Union Settlement’s Youth Services programming. Funded through the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the 11,000 SF center has been completely updated and redesigned into a bright, colorful, and welcoming space for the community.

The project modernized the worn, outdated facility with new classrooms, offices, and public spaces building systems, windows, and interior finishes. An enlarged and relocated glass-enclosed entrance allows passersby to see into communal areas and the new expanded reception area and encourage more access and participation while a naturally illuminated interior with view corridors and a central skylight create a positive environment with opportunities for interaction of the different constituencies. Efficient circulation routes between glass partition hallways allow for views between key programs; and a fully upgraded senior center offers larger windows and an enhanced connection to the outdoors.

Colorful and exuberant, the community center presents work by local artists, such as East Harlem artist Kristy McCarthy’s mixed-media art installation  “Welcome Home” which features images and patterns representing the diverse ethnicities and rich history of the neighborhood.