Nonprofits work with community members to leverage trauma informed design strategies to better serve Adams County community
Front-range families are experiencing innovative and convenient access to a vast array of health and social services at Adams County’s first Community Resource Hub (the Hub) at 7190 Colorado Blvd. The landmark building in Commerce City, which the community knows as a place to get resources and support, was previously occupied by Adams County Human Services before moving out of the building in 2017. The South Platte Crossings Board of Owners – including Adams County, Urban Land Conservancy (ULC), Kids First Health Care and the City of Commerce City – is working to repurpose this building.
“The Hub centralizes health and other vital social and support services for families and residents in one location,” said Lisa Jansen Thompson, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County (ECPAC). “The Hub is a result of strategic planning by a partnership of organizations located in the building and the surrounding area, as well as community members/families, who meet monthly to coordinate services, support a shared website and create welcoming spaces to better support the community.”
Through a comprehensive trauma informed design assessment and training from Shopworks Architecture, tailored recommendations were recently implemented, thanks to generous funding from Colorado Access. The collaborative’s improvements outlined in the assessment included updating the signage – with the help of 303 Sign Company – with multiple language translations, reducing wayfinding confusion with a more modern electronic directory, and transforming the drab and boring aesthetic of the interior of the building through the implementation of beautiful murals on every floor by artist Guerilla Garden, which were inspired by the culture of the community.
In addition to the Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County (ECPAC)’s Family and Support Center and Kids First Health Care, other partners at the Hub include Adams County DMV, several programs of Adams County Health Department, including the Women, Infants and Children’s program (WIC), Creative Treatment Options, Front Range Clinic, Kids In Need of Dentistry (KIND) and United for a New Economy (UNE). Commerce City’s Community Development Program and Benefits in Action will be moving in this Fall. The 6th floor is available for rent through Urban Land Conservancy.
Urban Land Conservancy, a Denver-based nonprofit, has secured the development of 60 affordable apartment homes adjacent to the Hub. The four-story building will feature studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes for households making 30 percent to 80 percent of area median income (AMI). Urban Land Conservancy’s community land trust will ensure the building is used for community benefit for 99 years or more.
“The Hub collaborative works collectively to address the Social Determinants of Health by reducing barriers to care and continuing to improve the experience for our families when they arrive for support services and resources,” said Whitney Gustin Connor, Executive Director of Kids First Health Care. “Construction of Urban Land Conservancy’s affordable housing units is currently underway across the street, complementing the Hub’s concept, and we look forward to serving the families who will soon occupy these homes!”
