Project Description
The Parson’s Center for Health and Wellness is the result of a multi-year public outreach process to find a new home for the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS and partnering organizations. In 2012, the City of Phoenix purchased the former Channel 12 broadcast television building along Central Avenue and for engagement in a long-term lease with SWC. This location would serve to establish a new community center, wellness clinics, administration offices and conference space for the nonprofit organization with the vision toward a one-stop resource for families and patients affected by HIV/AIDS. Following the precedent of several successful community health centers throughout the United States, the PCHW project takes into account its prominence on the streetscape in Central Phoenix, connection to public transportation and an expanding mission of Wellness, Education, and Research. The plan overlays the new program onto two connected buildings: a 1950’s two-story structure with a basement to the south and 1970’s two-story structure to the north The adaptive reuse project required significant structural modifications, systems upgrades, and accessibility adjustments ahead of new walls, systems, and finishes. The new environment seamlessly connected both structures, provided for the permeation of city views and natural light, improved wayfinding and multiple gathering zones. It also allowed for the occupancy of a significant portion of the overall square footage of the buildings, spread out among the three levels. New spaces include medical facilities, offices, and conference rooms; break rooms and other support spaces. The Parson’s Center for Health and Wellness boasts a new prominence along the city’s central corridor and a welcoming presence for the community at large.