June 23, 2009

Nonprofit starts work on new $1.2M center

Rendering courtesy Bassetti Architects [enlarge]

The Environmental Learning Center will be in Burien’s Seahurst Park, with 2,200 square feet on two levels.

Today, after seven years of fundraising, the Environmental Science Center will break ground on its new headquarters, a $1.2 million building in the north end of Seahurst Park in Burien.

It will be called the Environmental Learning Center and will consolidate the nonprofit's work for the first time. Completion is due by February of 2010.

Landon Construction Group is general contractor. Bassetti Architects designed the building.

The 10-year-old organization was founded by volunteers in South King County to connect people to nature. It offers some classes and tours for adults but focuses on school-aged children, especially those from low income or disadvantaged populations.

Julie Burr, executive director of the center, said her organization exposes children to the natural environment in ways they might otherwise miss.

“We really feel we're the only agency that really targets youth in the South King County area for environmental education,” she said. “We really target underserved, low income populations.”

Many of the children the center works with live a mile away from Seahurst Park but have never been to the beach and don't know what a barnacle is, she said. “It is so delightful to see them come down here and learn and have this experience.”

The organization is growing and served 10,000 people last year, but many people don't associate the classes they take with the organization.

“They always go ‘who's the Environmental Science Center?' because we don't have a place,” Burr said. Not having a location has also limited the classes that the center can offer.

The learning center will have 2,200 square feet on two levels. The ground floor will be an open room and support area for outdoor learning. The second floor will have a prep kitchen, space for scientific experiments, a large open classroom, a mud room and two restrooms.

The building will be located on the site of a dilapidated caretaker's cottage. The city of Burien will lease the space free of charge to the center for 30 years, with an option to renew. The center will reuse the cottage's foundation and floor.

Groundbreaking is today at the caretaker's cottage in Seahurst Park from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

The building is intended to be a model of green building techniques. The team will not seek LEED certification but the structure will have numerous green features.

The space will also teach children about green building and be a model for local homeowners and small businesses. Interior signs will help point out some of the features.

Greg Hepp, principal at Bassetti, said the team is tearing out a concrete roadway and replacing it with porous pavement to treat rainwater. Raingardens will help store roof drainage, and there will be formaldehyde-free interior materials, extensive daylighting and natural ventilation.

Hepp said he is excited to use spray foam insulation, which has a high R-value and also acts as an air barrier. The building also will use radiant heat with a heat pump, because there is no gas at the site.

The project has received help from numerous agencies. In addition to the leased space from Burien, it also received grants of $250,000 from the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission; $400,000 from the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development; and about $100,000 from King County.

A funding gap of about $200,000 remains.

Hepp said available funding will cover the shell and finishing the first floor. Money is still needed for interior finishes on the second floor. Burr said she hopes more people will contribute once they realize the value of the building to the community.

Hepp said the project is exciting because of the “stunning” waterfront site and the nonprofit's work. “It's gratifying to have clients who have such a fantastic mission.”

Burr said the building will give the organization “the credit we deserve for all the work we do. It'll be just great to have a building down here.”

Other team members include LPD Engineering, civil engineer; Quantum Consulting Engineers, structural engineer; Aardvark Engineering Services, mechanical engineer; and Broadview Associates, owner's representative.

For more information, visit http://www.envsciencecenter.org