new merkel house
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
The new home of the New Merkel House in Cahaba Heights offers senior citizens more space for activities and gatherings, as well as more outdoor opportunities. Strategically located near Cahaba Heights Park and Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights, the new space offers an opportunity for seniors to engage with their community. The new environment offers expanded opportunities for creative programming and alleviates problems at the previous home which was used as a residence. Separated into small, numerous rooms, the previous Merkel House struggled with functionality. The new building thoughtfully has one story instead of two for easy navigation and the size of the meeting space is doubled. Flat, expanded parking, a wheelchair accessible, and a cozy fireplace area were added to the new design. There are also offices and an additional room for programs to allow the center to serve more people daily. The new building will foster the relationship between the visitors and the nearby students and encourage interaction with those at the ballfields at Cahaba Heights Park.
Completion
2021
Size
1,900
Services
Architecture