Building from the Heart

Health and Wellness Center Brings Together The Communities of West Lakes

R. C. Stevens

R. C. Stevens is proud to be a part of an all-important project for the residents of The Communities of West Lakes. The community is made up of several historic Orlando neighborhoods, rich in African American heritage, that have come together with the help of LIFT Orlando.

LIFT was founded by business leaders working with residents committed to strengthening their community by building an economically viable area to live, learn, work, and grow. LIFT has helped amplify voices throughout the community by supporting them as agents of change. As part of these efforts, LIFT commissioned the Polis Institute to discover what assets the community already had and what residents thought could benefit their community the most. One of the areas of need was access to healthy foods and preventive healthcare.

To meet this need, the new 30,000-square-foot Heart of West Lakes Health and Wellness Center was planned, designed, and is now in its final months of construction. R. C. Stevens celebrated the building’s top-out in May 2022 with a luncheon for all on-site team members, and in July, with community/LIFT employee hardhat tours.

Before starting the construction, R. C. Stevens and LIFT Orlando hosted an online community forum for residents and local subcontractors. The project overview introduced the project, its impact on the surrounding area, and subcontract opportunities, especially for minority- and women-owned business enterprises.

The health and wellness center’s design facilitates connectivity and community engagement through open spaces, gardens, and walking paths. It also emphasizes its outdoor areas and green spaces in a setting that evokes feelings of familiarity and comfort.

The first phase of construction included the core and tilt wall shell, site work, foundation, storefront, stairwells, elevators, and MEP. As the outside of the building is currently being completed, tenant buildouts are beginning to take shape, along with finishes for common corridors, exterior landscaping/greenspace, and an asphalt parking lot.

When complete, the Class A building will provide residents of the area with centralized primary care services, a fitness center, a co-working space, food services, and ultimately a sense of place and trust. Facilitating a holistic approach to wellness, the center will provide patients and visitors an opportunity to learn about nutrition, improve access to healthy foods, and provide the tools needed to develop positive lifestyles that ultimately increase quality of life.