Across the United States, many communities are impacted by “childcare deserts”—areas where the supply of licensed childcare falls far short of demand. To expand access for local families, the Hayes-Taylor YMCA in Greensboro, North Carolina launched an 8,000 sq. ft. expansion project. Partially funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) via the City of Greensboro, the organization partnered with our Community and Culture Practice team for the design and construction.
Client
YMCA Greensboro
Location
Greensboro, North Carolina
Key Contact
Ken Mayer
Photographer
Paul Lange
Completed
2025
Project Budget
$2.5 M
Services
Architecture, Interior Design, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection Engineering
The project builds on CPL’s original facility design completed nearly a decade earlier, which was intentionally engineered to support a future vertical expansion. That early planning allowed the YMCA to add a full second floor without major disruption to the existing first floor. The scope included roof removal and replacement, a new elevator tower, two stairwells, and construction of the second level.
The expansion increases childcare capacity and improves how the facility serves different age groups. The first floor remains dedicated to infants and toddlers, while the new second floor serves school-age children. The additional also includes four classrooms, a teen program space and administrative offices, supporting both daily programming and operational needs.
A key design constraint was maintaining the required outdoor play yard area, which directly affects licensed childcare capacity. Our team thoughtfully positioned the new stair tower to preserve the toddler play space and maintain compliance requirements without reducing program capacity.
The project also required careful coordination with existing site and building systems, including drop-off circulation, code and accessibility requirements, and security at building entries. Each decision balanced operational continuity with the needs of a fully occupied childcare facility.
Additionally, to resolve roof height constraints, the elevator tower was expressed as a distinct architectural element. The new construction aligns with the building’s existing copper façade and signature bright orange horizontal stripe, while introducing complementary paneling to clearly distinguish the expansion.
Through close collaboration with YMCA Greensboro, our team helped turn a carefully planned vision into a functional, vibrant expansion that meets the community’s growing childcare needs. This addition increases capacity in order to improve childcare access for local families in a high-demand area.
