Permit issued for After School Matters center at 1065 N. Orleans

A renovation permit has been issued for the redevelopment of an old Catholic school building at 1065 N. Orleans into a new community center for After School Matters, a nonprofit serving high schoolers with programs and opportunities. Located at the corner of N. Orleans St and W. Hill St, the building most recently served as the home of Architectural Artifacts, an antique dealer who recently moved their operation to Texas.

Designed by Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, the 36,000-square-foot building will be turned into a collaborative space that offers teens a black box theater, gymnasium, state-of-the-art culinary kitchen, art studios, STEM labs, wood shop and outdoor spaces for urban gardening. The nonprofit expects the building to serve approximately 1,500 teens each year.

To fund the renovation, After School Matters is using a combination of private and public dollars. The organization has already secured $2 million in state funding, has applied for more funding from the city and is taking out a $14 million loan to pay for the renovations.

With permits issued, general contractor UJAMAA Construction can begin the renovation work, which is expected to take nine to ten months. An opening is planned for late 2025.