Renovations to the Boykin Community Center valued at $1.8 million are expected to begin in February.
The Boykin Center was built in the 1950s as a public elementary school for African-American children during segregation.
Alison Hall, community and special programs director for Auburn Parks and Recreation, says it’s time for the center to be upgraded.
“We all knew with the age of that building that it was time, so we’ve been working on a plan for several years to come up with funding and finally everything has come together,” Hall said.
According to Hall, the renovations are expected to upgrade the entire center’s fire alarm system and electrical wiring, bring all of the restrooms up to code to ensure that they meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards and generally improve the interior rooms. A new security system is also planned to be installed.
“When construction is done, each tenant will be in their own section of the building, so we’ll be able to put in security doors with swipe-card access so they can feel safe with their children in one area and not have to worry about security,” Hall said.
The Boykin Center currently has four tenants that occupy the building, which include the Auburn Day Care Center, the Boykin Senior Center, the Joyland Day Child Development Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County.
While the tenants will remain active in the Boykin Center during construction, they will be relocated to different rooms within the center to accommodate for the renovations until the project is complete.
“It’ll be a little bit of a pain for a couple of months for each tenant, but in the long run they won’t have to close down, and they won’t have to move off site, so that’s the best of both worlds,” said Hall.
The Hudak Construction Company from Gadsden, Alabama, is expected to perform the renovations.
The Auburn City Council approved a $1,840,000 contract with Hudak at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24.
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