Our Heritage (continued) Facilities: Providing the Places and Spaces where our programs “strengthen families and build community through education” In 1995 two local donor gifts helped LFDEF, Inc. gain assets and momentum to create the initial cornerstone facilities of our learning community. With assistance from R. Kingman and Dean Webster, the original H. K. Webster, site of Blue Seal Feeds on West Street, was donated to LFDEF, Inc. to house the newly-approved charter school. Later that year, the estate of Oscar Hoehn, a local builder, donated the historic Orange Wheeler House to the YouthBuild-Lawrence program. Board members and local foundations helped to raise the funds necessary to transform these properties for their new use. Both properties, redesigned by architect Gary Wolf of Boston, won architectural awards and recognition for preservation and use of historic properties from the Massachusetts Historic Commission and Lawrence’s Immigrant City Archives. In the decade and a half since LFDEF, Inc.’s beginning, the board has supported new construction at the Charter School’s Lower School site and a seven million dollar purchase and rebuild of the former St. Anne’s School and convent on Haverhill Street. Opening in 2006, this site houses the Upper School (grades 5-8) of LFDCS and the Maria del Pilar Quintana Family Center for adult education classes. In order to accommodate the charter school expansion amendment of 2011 (an increase of 20 students per year over 10 years) LFDEF, Inc. opened, in August, 2012 (under a lease agreement) the Academy of Early Academic Preparation for K-1, K-2 and Grade 1 at 10 Railroad Street for use by its Charter School. Today, facility assets are valued at $12.5 million, which is a testimony to the commitment and leadership of the board and administration. This outcome ensures stabile, safe, welcoming structures that foster LFDEF, Inc.’s mission and revitalizes its neighborhoods. ORANGE WHEELER HOUSE MARIA DEL PILAR QUINTANA FAMILY CENTER LAWRENCE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CHARTER SCHOOL 9
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