We are excited to share another successful pro bono project that extends our continued commitment to social responsibility, environmental stewardship, equity and inclusion. Aria Group began collaborating in 2020 with Beat the Streets on their new South Archer Avenue wrestling facility located in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood of Chicago—a project that would transform and directly improve a community by introducing expanded equity programs to reach a larger audience and girls in particular. Beat the Streets Chicago is a nonprofit organization that aims to empower Chicago youth through wrestling. They believe that wrestling has the ability to positively impact both physical health and social emotional learning, creating “Life Champions.” This program, when combined with other in-house enrichment programming, empowers Chicago youth with a pathway to positive life outcomes. We couldn’t be more proud to highlight our continued commitment to take part in such projects that allow us to donate our talent and time through conceptualization and meaningful design solutions.
We worked with Executive Director, Mike Powell, to design a space that fit the needs of this growing organization. The space contains two wrestling rooms, a weight room, a coach’s office, two locker rooms, a referee’s locker room, and a classroom for enrichment programs that include a range of coaching initiatives around test prep and tutoring to mentoring students on financial literacy and nutritional wellness.
Alongside Aria Group, Stages Construction and BTR Engineers donated their time and resources to make this project possible. Aria Group is honored to have been able to aid in the impactful mission behind Beat the Streets. We are excited to see this new facility used to its fullest extent and for the Beat the Streets team to continue with their pivotal role of empowering our Chicago youth.
The Team
Our team for this project consisted of Josh Curvey, Doug Lueken, Lillian Reyes-Brahar, Joe Junius, Katherine Dafcik, and Chris Wilson.
General Contractor: Stages Construction
MEP Engineer: BTR Engineering
Structural Engineer: Hart Gaugler
Aria Group: Public Interest Design
A House in Austin – photos by Travis Vannoy
Aria Group couldn’t be more proud to highlight two socially responsible projects as we start out hopeful for the new year. These projects showcase Aria Group’s continued commitment to helping in our communities through providing thoughtful design solutions pro bono.
If 2020 taught us anything, it is that spending time with family is one of the most important parts of life. Aria Group was fortunate to work with the community organization, A House in Austin. A House in Austin’s mission is to nurture bonds for healthy families and bright futures. In hopes of integrating into the neighborhood’s fabric, the organization purchased a Victorian-era house in need of renovations in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. Aria Group assisted with bringing the house up to zoning, accessibility and rehabilitation codes appropriate for their programs. Creating a house into a place of business and gathering provided some challenges aesthetically as well. We worked to maintain the character of the house with every decision, but practical elements, especially for accessibility, needed to be implemented into the project. Along with Himelick Construction, Systems Design Group, Inc., CE Anderson and Associates and Robin Titus Designs, the team created an inviting and secure space for the families. Functional and inspiring design played a key role to help empower parents to shape their children’s futures.
Sarah’s Inn – photos by Orenthal Jeffries
Another lesson learned from 2020 is that every day is a gift and should not be taken for granted. We worked hand in hand to create a safe, private and comfortable design for the new headquarters for Sarah’s Inn. Sarah’s Inn’s mission is to provide comprehensive services for families affected by domestic violence – giving families the support they need to find safety, rebuild their lives, and heal. They were in need of expansion to furnish a secure location for education, counseling and group events. The team included Radix Construction Services, Systems Design Group, Inc., and TGRWA, LLC. All worked to redesign an old electrical union training facility into a warm and inviting space for Sarah’s Inn to continue their mission.
Aria Group was honored to be a part of these exciting socially responsible projects – working to better individuals, families and communities.
