Cormier Youth Center

Andover, MA
Construction Cost: $5.5 million
Area / Square Feet: 23,450
Occupancy Date: September 2015

The Cormier Youth Center is home to Andover Youth Services, an award-winning nonprofit organization serving 4,000 middle and high school students. For the past 18 years, Andover Youth Services has developed community service projects, outreach and development programs, recreational sports leagues, mentoring programs and emotional support services for thousands of young people. 

The 23,450-square-foot facility is sited next to the Doherty Middle School, making it a convenient destination for students. Program spaces include a gymnasium, multipurpose performance space that can accommodate dances and concerts, a fitness center, a classroom, a workshop for art projects, a TV/music studio, a commercial teaching kitchen, a conference room and staff offices. 

The design theme of the center creates a transparent, colorful and fun environment. Simple materials were employed with bright colors, breaking up larger volumes into smaller-scaled zones for programmed activities. 

The central lobby is the hub of the facility, offering views into the gymnasium, multipurpose space and outdoor fields, and serves as the connector to other program spaces accessed off the main corridor. The central space is entirely transformable from a sporting events lobby to an active games area. The multipurpose space is similarly transformable from performing arts to wrestling and gymnastics.