The highly anticipated makeover of the Youth Dynamics Inc. Alternative Youth Adventures campus is becoming more of a reality, as SMA Architects expect to break ground on the new facility by late June or early July of 2023. A Request for Proposal is expected to go out by the end of the month.
YDI Major Gift Officer Tim Norbeck said YDI has a lot of momentum in the Boulder community, as the AYA program continues to grow. This program – which offers a variety of group and individual services including highly sexualized youth – has received much financial support from Jefferson County commissioners and the Jefferson Local Development Center. This support has made it possible for YDI to afford its ambitious plans, which includes going from three existing buildings to five total group homes, complete with walking paths, a garden, a basketball court and a tennis court. These group homes will create jobs for up to 15 full-time employees and serve up to 32 clients. It will also offer single bedrooms.
Thanks to $400,000 from a Community Development Block Grant, the fourth group home funding is secured. Now the time has come for development to take shape, starting with a schematic design. This month begins the design and development phase, Norbeck said, followed by the “construction documents” phase of the project. When the latter phase ends, he said, it will be time for the groundbreaking.
Norbeck said construction for the first group home will likely finish in the spring or summer of 2024.
YDI Residential/Clinical Director Jordan Evertz said she is thrilled to get the green light on these developments, as she believes these new facilities will have a more “home-like” setting.
“I am most excited for our campus facilities to match the quality of care that our clients are receiving,”she said. “We have continued to experience significant facilities issues [plumbing, infrastructure, heating, electrical], I am excited to be able to take that stressor away from our team so all our energy and focus can be our client’s treatment. Another exciting piece of the project that I am looking forward to is being able to have an outdoor space that can be used for therapeutic activities and recreation.”
These improvements to the campus not only revitalize Boulder but they give YDI the opportunity to help more youth, Norbeck said. It’s a win-win in both appearance and in quality, he said, a necessary facelift that enhances the experience for AYA employees and the youth going through the treatment.
“We want the ascetics to match the therapy,” Norbeck said. “We’re making improvements to the existing building in that respect but can really modernize with the new buildings that will be built over the next couple years. It’s really going to add to the area. And, who knows, with YDI taking this plunge and getting some things done on this campus, maybe it will inspire other organizations in town to do the same.”
According to its mission, YDI “is committed to providing comprehensive and progressive trauma sensitive behavioral health services to meet the ever-changing needs of youth and families.” And this expansion in Boulder serves as a call to action.
