CMD iSqFt, American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Hanley Wood Media join forces with sponsors to improve Sharswood-area athletic facility

May 4, 2016

ATLANTA – Numerous sponsors, including USG, YKK America, Kawneer Alcoa, YKK AP America, Vinyl Institute and ProEst Technologies have made significant donations to help renovate the Philadelphia Recreation Center in inner-city Philadelphia. The recreation center was recently chosen as the recipient of AEC Cares’ sixth annual blitz build, which will take place on May 18, 2016 one day prior to the AIA National Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

CMD iSqft, one of the leading providers of construction information in North America, AIA and Hanley Wood Media have joined forces the past six years for the AEC Cares’ blitz build, an annual building project that provides community support for worthwhile projects across the United States.

“CMD and iSqFt have a long history of giving back to local communities,” said Dave Conway, CMD iSqFt CEO and President of AEC Cares. “We are proud to support AEC Cares in renovating the Philadelphia Athletic Recreation Center. Giving this center a facelift is helping to give underprivileged children a better and healthier start in life. Together with generous support from our customers, employees, local architects, contractors and product manufacturers, we are creating a legacy of hope in the communities in which we work.”

Used by hundreds of children in the Sharswood neighborhood for after school and sports programs, the Athletic Recreation Center is in desperate need of repair and upgrades. During the blitz build, AEC professionals will improve the center’s main entrance, lobby space, after school art room, performance space and more.

“At the Philadelphia Athletic Recreation Center, we believe that sports and physical activity mixed with creative arts and education are critical to the healthy development of our neighborhood’s youth,” said Brian Sell, supervisor of the Philadelphia Athletic Recreation Center. “We are thrilled to have been selected as the 2016 partner for AEC Cares, and are excited to see the transformation on May 18. So many volunteers and designers have already worked so hard in order to make this a reality. We greatly appreciate their generosity and all of us are looking forward to AEC Cares day.”

Past AEC Cares projects include the rebuilding of five homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina, the revitalization of houses for homeless teens in Washington D.C. and the transformation of a 30-year-old former school building into a cheerful up-to-date daycare and early learning center for impoverished children in Chicago’s Southwest Side. In 2013, AEC Cares renovated over $250,000 in improvements to a homeless facility for veterans in Denver. Last year’s project included upgrading an inner-city Atlanta shelter for youths in crisis.

Additional sponsors this year include: Greenway Group, Design Futures Council, Armstrong Flooring, Cookerly Public Relations, USI, Hunter Douglas, Panolam, Otis Elevator Company, and Randstad USA.

To sponsor the AEC Cares project or to find additional information, visit aeccares.com.

About AEC Cares

AEC Cares is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation actively supported by CMD with the AIA and Hanley Wood, generous sponsors, donors and volunteers. Bringing together architects, contractors, manufacturers and industry professionals from across the United States and Canada, AEC Cares works to create positive change through meaningful projects that benefit a new community every year. To learn more about AEC Cares, visit aeccares.com.