Bobbitt renovates gym for non-profit serving children with autism
March 29, 2017
Bobbitt Design Build recently completed phase one of renovations to a 6,500-square-foot gymnasium for Autism Academy of South Carolina (AASC) located at 1505 Blanding Street in Columbia.
AASC – a non-profit organization helping children with autism to acquire necessary life skills – will use the gym as a recreational space for students and a training area for staff. In the future, the non-profit organization plans to make the facility a fully functional event space.
Initially, Bobbitt became involved with AASC through a service project with Leadership Columbia, which involved repairing classrooms in the building. The group also wanted to restore the gymnasium that was closed due to its dilapidated condition; however, the amount of work needed to restore the area was beyond the capabilities of the volunteer group.
AASC received a grant to pay for a portion of the renovations, but funding did not cover the entire cost. After discussions with AASC staff, Bobbitt developed a phased renovation plan with manageable budgets for each stage. This approach enabled AASC to identify monetary goals needed to achieve short-term and long-term targets for the space. Together, Bobbitt and AASC determined the appropriate scope of work for phase one to restore the gym as a usable space for the school.
About Autism Academy of South Carolina (AASC)
The Autism Academy of South Carolina (AASC) is a not-for-profit organization offering individualized Applied Behavior Analysis therapy (ABA) to clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. AASC’s team is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families struggling with autism and related disorders. autismacademyofsc.org
About Bobbitt Design Build
Having just celebrated 70 years in business, Bobbitt Design Build is the Carolinas’ leading design build contractor for commercial construction, which provides control of site and architectural design, engineering, permitting and construction services under one roof. The employee-owned company has built more than 3,500 commercial buildings throughout the Carolinas. www.bobbitt.com
