Expansion on the Horizon with New Community Center Location

When new Albany Park Community Center CEO Harold Rice first met Mary O’Reilly, he noticed she always kept the drawers open in her desk.

O’Reilly worked in human resources at the time in the old APCC location at Kimball and Lawrence. Her desk drawers were always open because the floor where her desk sat was slanted. And even though she had cardboard propping up the legs, O’Reilly’s drawers slid open by the end of the day.

Her desk was one of the many reasons Rice started the search for a new office to house the APCC. After more than a year of scouting locations and a move in December, APCC employees were ready to show off their new digs.

The center, which offers services from family literacy to business planning, welcomed more than 60 people through its doors Wednesday night for a grand opening.

Their new offices are located at 1945 W. Wilson Ave., spanning the entire third floor of the Ravenswood Professional Building.

“We have great, great, great plans for the future and this is where we’re going to do it,” said Brendan Foster, the chief operating officer for the APCC.

The future includes expanding the center's programs and space, Rice said. They have first dibs on additional space in the building and intend on growing its presence in the city. 

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Moving didn’t happen by chance, Rice said. The center looked for a year and a half with realtors Jason and Rich Schultz.

“When he met us he said, ‘My team deserves better,’” Rich Schultz said about Rice.

The APCC had been at their old location for 17 years. Rice said there was limited parking and the occasional car break-in. With the new  facility, staff and guests can park in one of 30 free spots.

The move happened in December, and Development Officer Andy Nordstrom said the staff was blown away when they saw the new space.

With a computer room and training facility, Nordstrom hopes to share its resources with the community for neighborhood meetings.

Aside from the amenities, the center will be paying $3.50 less per square foot, and gain 3,000 square feet in space.

Read more:

• Relocated Nonprofit Opens Doors to Community
• Ameya Pawar Visits Local Community Center