Renovation of the Jewish Community Center’s Marilyn Fox Building in Chesterfield reached the midpoint Jan. 15 and is on schedule for completion in September.
The 27-year-old facility contains 65,000 square feet of space, which will not grow. But a redesign and reconfiguration will make more efficient use of that space, which includes swimming pools, gyms, fitness studios and an early childhood program.
Funding for the $14.6 million renovation was generated by a capital campaign, supplemented by $2 million from the state. One of the key selling points to obtain state support was the addition of an adult day center. That section of the building is scheduled for an early April opening and will mirror an existing center at the Staenberg Family Complex near Creve Coeur.
Adult day centers give older adults an opportunity to socialize with their peers and reduce isolation and loneliness. Chesterfied has only one licensed adult day program, a skilled nursing facility with a capacity of 25. The Fox adult day center will have a capacity of 36, and there is a waiting list to join, said Nicole Hawkins, chief operating officer and project lead.
“People are very excited about joining the program,” she said. “It’s going to be a beautiful space. One of my favorite things about it is that we have a whole section where the adult day participants will be able to look directly into the early childhood classrooms and vice versa. They’ll get to interact with each other throughout the day, which is going to be just amazing.”
The adult day center will be a welcome addition to the community, Chesterfield Mayor Bob Nation said.
“We wholeheartedly welcome the significant renovation and expansion of the Marilyn Fox facility in Chesterfield,” he said. “As our senior population grows, the need for activities and care correspondingly increases. We are grateful to our community partners who are providing these much needed programs.”
The new adult day center will fill an important need, said Becky Herschbach, executive director of the Productive Living Board, which supports St. Louis County residents with developmental disabilities.
“We applaud the Jewish Community Center’s dedication to creating inclusive environments that address the diverse needs of the community,” Herschbach said. “This expansion initiative empowers even more St. Louis County residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities to age in place by supporting lifelong skill development and nurturing social connections.”
J members who enter the Fox Building will see new artwork hanging in the lobby and a resurfaced walking track on the second level of the Gloria M. Goldstein Gymnasium.
Areas where renovation is complete include a community commons, upstairs restrooms, administrative offices, family center, cycle studio and locker rooms. Infrared saunas are a popular new addition in the men’s and women’s locker rooms, Hawkins said.
“The sauna is a huge hit,” she said. “Everyone is raving about it. It’s the same type of sauna that the Kansas City Chiefs use.”
On Feb. 2-3, the J will unveil a new Mind/Body Studio at a grand opening event. Members and guests can try out a free two-class sampler that day.
By spring, the next phase of the renovation will be complete: a recovery room, KidZone babysitting, kosher kitchen and community locker room.
The kitchen has primarily been used as a satellite to the main commissary at the Staenberg complex. Hot and cold meals are now delivered from the Creve Coeur location to Chesterfield. When complete, the Fox Building kitchen will have a rebuilt walk-in freezer and refrigerator. Eventually, the facility will prepare meals independently.
The final renovation components, which will be complete by summer, include a group exercise studio, gymnasium, pickleball courts, Early Childhood Center, cross training, lobby and front entrance.
