Iowa State Students Begin Beautification of New ACPC Center

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Iowa State University Bachelor of Design students have spent the past five weeks beautifying the exterior of what will become a new home for an Ames Community Preschool Center and day care.

The former Willson-Beardshear Elementary school building at 920 Carroll Ave., will have received all new landscaping, a fresh coat of paint and more by Thursday, when students expect to complete their first design summer studio project to rebrand the brick building.

“Students are excited about being able to put a real world project in their portfolio,” said Maria Miller an Iowa State Professor or architecture and design.

Students designed the project and built it themselves in a five-week studio class.

ACPC hopes to expand into the former school late this fall which will help shorten what can be a year-long wait for a placement at the center. But the non-profit child care center, has a lot of work to do on the building's interior before the center's staff can care for children in the 45-year-old building.

Willson-Beardshear Elementary was built in 1968 and the district used it most recently as a storage space before selling it to ACPC for $170,000 in January. When the district shuttered the school, some items were ripped from the walls leaving adhesive and holes behind.

The non-profit center has funds on hand to update the building to meet current codes including the addition of an industrial kitchen that alone would cost about $150,000. However the center lacks funds for non-code related aesthetic upgrades that Miller's students could create in the future design studios.

Lowes donated the plants, gallons of paint and even some of the tools students used in the most recent design studio and Miller said the store has also discussed donating aesthetic security lighting for a future design studio. Future plans also include replacing the former playground area with a landscaped play area and community garden.

For more on how to help go to: HelpACPC.com.