When commercial real estate goes vacant, it can be especially hard on a community. Consider lost real estate taxes, an eyesore, and, in extreme cases, blight.
Yet, in some instances, it can be repurposed and become a true amenity, as is the case with the building at 1500 W. Ogden Avenue, on Naperville’s north side, now home to Turning Pointe Autism Foundation.
Originally built in 1982, the site was home to Sun Publications until it was purchased and renovated into the offices for the Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, its two Career Colleges and Therapeutic Day School.
The technical term for repurposing buildings is often referred to as Adaptive Re-use.
While the original lobby is still nearly the same, and on occasion visitors still stop by looking for the original occupants, Barbara Brauer, Business Manager since August 2012, said nearly everything else has been adapted to the needs of Turning Pointe.
Inside, the foundation operates a Retail Training room (in partnership with Walgreens), a Warehouse Training area (in partnership with OfficeMax), and two classrooms for the Day School (with four more planned.
Barbra looks forward to seeing the growth of the some 50 students they can serve once the classrooms are fully built out. She said she loves the location of the building as it is centrally located to most who might utilize Turning Pointe’s services.
I could only imagine the likes of the late Tim West walking the old offices when I took my tour of the building last week. I wonder what he would have said about this Purposeful Adaptive Re-use.