What's Happening with Us?
Our new home, 407 Highland Court. Iowa City
Roger Lusala, executive director of Mayor's Youth Empowerment Program, said that MYEP rents the building it is in now at 1060 Cross Park Ave. and the lease ends in May 2010.
MYEP has been looking for a larger facility for
probably the past four years, he said, and now is a prime time to
make the move as the program is expanding.
MYEP focuses on two
areas -- activities for at-risk youth and programs for youth and
adults with disabilities, including adult day care, new group homes
and an after-school program.
"We were happy to find this space," Lusala said. "It's going to meet our needs, especially the way we're planning to grow."
After 25 years in business, Mexican restaurant La
Casa closed in November 2008. The owners closed the 8,000-square-foot
restaurant and manufacturing facility at 1200 Gilbert Court to focus
on the manufacturing side of business in a smaller facility.
Lusala
said MYEP signed the contract for the La Casa building in April and
will take possession of the space Sept. 17.
"The kids are excited, the families are excited, the board has been very active," he said. "It's probably going to be one of the biggest projects MYEP has ever been involved with."
The larger facility will provide more room for the
activities MYEP offers, including the adult day and after-school
programs, he said. They also will include a sensory room and a
computer lab for training at-risk youth, Lusala said.
Lusala said
the La Casa location will be a good spot for MYEP because it is near
other community services, including the Crisis Center and Salvation
Army.
He said he hopes that by being on Gilbert Court, MYEP kids will be able to walk over to these locations to volunteer and give back to the community.
The Mayor's Youth Empowerment Program will be doing a
fundraising campaign later this year to help pay for the remodeling
changes to the former restaurant, he said.
"We've been saving
little by little," Lusala said. "We'll need any help we can
get."
Public Comments on the Press Citizen Site:
“I APPLAUD MYEP for their move. I THINK THIS IS FANTASTIC For them and a great reuse of a vacant building. CONGRATULATIONS to MYEP!!!”
“The La-Casa building needs some major rehabilitation to meet the needs of MYEP. This is no new building by far. It seems to me that they are trying to spend within their means to be able to provide services to their clientele. Their current space is only 5000 s.f. and there's no room to expand. It has been far too close to two crimes in the last couple of months. Maybe this move will spur a bit more revitalization in the Gilbert Ct. area.”

