CIS of Greater Tarrant County Celebrates Opening of Their New Office Space
Fort Worth, Texas - On May 22nd, Communities in Schools of Greater Tarrant County (CIS) held a Grand Opening and ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the move to a 7,008 sf space within the Western Insurance building which is located at 5601 Bridge St, 5th Floor in Fort Worth. VLK Architects provided pro bono architectural and design services to CIS as they had outgrown their existing office space and needed an area that would accommodate their team of 74 employees, most of whom are full-time social workers. Space was needed for training sessions and CEU’s which occur several times a year for staff and team building meetings, as well as a space that would provide greater visibility within the community for the organization. Over time, VLK has provided both financial support through sponsorships, support through volunteerism, and leadership representation on the CIS Board of Directors. Because of this relationship and shared values, supporting public school education, it was an easy decision for VLK Architects to provide their expertise to assist the organization with the new space. VLK provided site verification, overall design ideas and finish palettes for selection and approval, and a full set of construction documents for their new office space.
“We were thrilled to support this great organization with ensuring that their new space provided everything they needed,” said VLK Partner, Sloan Harris. “Communities In Schools has made a huge impact in Tarrant County schools and we feel privileged to be part of this expansion and space improvement for them.”
“VLK’s partnership made the design process so easy and fun! We relied on VLK’s expertise to provide the space plan, including office drawings and furniture layouts, and worked with the team to choose colors and materials to ensure a bright and inviting space,” said Lindsey Garner, President and CEO, Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County. “VLK made sure our team work areas and community spaces provided all the functionality we were craving.”
In addition to more square footage, the new office includes an inviting reception right off the elevator lobby, 12 individual or shared office spaces, a small conference, and a wellness room. Additionally, there is a large multi-purpose room and break area (roughly 1,300 sf) that can be separated into two spaces when necessary via an operable wall. An abundance of natural light in the work space that is purposefully designed in terms of efficiency in layout and flow with plenty of storage for supplies for social workers and students such as school supplies, nonperishable foods, and clothing. This summer, CIS will host all-staff trainings for their social workers as they prepare for academic year ’19-20 and host trainings in their new community room.
“Support from partners, like VLK Architects, is a testimony to the fact that we can achieve the most success when the nonprofit community comes together with the business community to make a collective impact for local students,” said Lindsey Garner, President and CEO, Communities In Schools of Greater Tarrant County.