Location
Executive Summary
Dedicated in 1928 as the Boys and Girls Building, the Art Deco-style Youth Building was the first large-scale philanthropic gift made by W. K. Kellogg to the city of Battle Creek. When the building closed in 1988, the city and the school district slated it for demolition. Concerned citizens stopped the demolition, and the building was stabilized. Over time a community-based vision for future uses was created, the building was aggressively marketed, and a development team with the necessary skills and vision was found in Findley Development. Findley transformed the Youth Building into the Village at Irving Park, housing development with 25 unique residential units within the historic building. The developer also constructed a new building, containing 14 additional traditional residential units, which is connected to the historic building by an enclosed glass and steel breezeway. The new building was designed and situated to allow the historic building to remain dominant on the site.