DakotAbilities Longfellow Center

DakotAbilities Longfellow Center OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

DakotAbilities Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Neighborhood schools such as Longfellow Elementary have traditionally been community anchors until one by one they are razed or sold for private use. The Longfellow building, constructed in 1915, served its original purpose for exactly 100 years when it was purchased

by DakotAbilities, a non-profit agency serving people with severe disabilities.

The building is now the organization’s headquarters and perfectly fits their federal mandate to be a Day Services Provider. The original gym and stage is now the cafeteria with the stage left in place for events and announcements. The classroom layout was easily converted to themed client work and activity rooms. Providing a variety of focuses, such as art, cooking and life skills, gardening, etc. as part of the Day Services Provider requirement, clients served by DakotAbilities work for ‘piece-rate’ wages and are given the freedom to explore their own interests at the same time.

DakotAbilities Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Chalkboards were removed and salvaged as well as the original maple gym floor (replaced by polished concrete to better support 500 lb. wheelchairs).

Before.

Before.

Before.

Before.

An exterior patio and wheelchair garden provides access to the beautiful school grounds and views of the historic surrounding neighborhood.

The project received a Facade Easement grant by the City of Sioux Falls to help pay for window replacement.

DakotAbilities Sioux Falls, South Dakota

A new spacious client entry and paratransit drop-off was added to better accommodate traffic (bus and wheelchairs).

DakotAbilities Sioux Falls, South Dakota

1 EXISTING PLAYGROUND 2 STORAGE BUILDING

1 1

3 PARATRANSIT DROP4

OFF 4 CLIENT PATIO AND

2

GARDEN

3

1 2 N SITE - AFTER 0

40

80

3

160

Floor Plan | Before

4 5 6 2

8

8

8

8

8

7

2 3 4 5 6 2

9

9

2

8

9

98

8

9

8

8

7 2 2

8 9

10

1 EXISTING PLAYGROUND

11

65

1

10 91

54

98

11 10

2 STORAGE BUILDING 3 PARATRANSIT DROP-

4

OFF 4 CLIENT PATIO AND

2

GARDEN

2 3

4 22

22

33

54

76

N SITE - AFTER 0

N

0

40

80

160

Floor Plan | After 1 Administration 7 PT/Habilitation 2 Office

8 Nursing 3 Break 9 Work 4 New Client Entry 10 Stage 5 Training 25 50 10011 Gym 6 Dining

87

87

DakotAbilities Sioux Falls, South Dakota

1 EXISTING PLAYG

11

11

2 STORAGE BUILD

3 PARATRANSIT DR

43

OFF 22

4 CLIENT PATIO AN

GARDEN

1 EXISTING PLAYGROUND 1

2 STORAGE BUILDING

1 3 PARATRANSIT DROP4

OFF 2

4 CLIENT PATIO AND

GARDEN

43

3

N SITE - AFTER 0

40

80

160

Site Plan 1 N 2 3 4 0 40

Existing Playground Storage Building Wheelchair Patio and Garden Paratransit Drop-off 80 160

SITE - A

DakotAbilities