CII Watts Campus

The $25.79 million Children’s Institute Watts campus is a permanent investment and commitment to the community of Watts, an architectural landmark and a critical resource for families.

Since 2007, the Children’s Institute has partnered with families and other community organizations in Watts to transform lives affected by racist policies and limited opportunity by providing much-needed services including free, quality early childhood education at seven locations currently, counseling, workshops, and more. The new campus at Success Avenue and East 102nd Street in South LA, will centralize Children’s Institute’s operations in the area.

The new campus opened with a Community Celebration on June 25, welcoming the neighborhood to a day of activities, performances and the opportunity to explore the new Frank Gehry-designed campus. The site will offer group meeting spaces, offices and work space, and an array of other indoor and outdoor areas which will be available for the community to reserve beginning in fall 2022.

“In addition to our annual programmatic support, the new campus symbolizes our permanent commitment to the community, providing a critical resource that will enable our continued growth in support of the children and families of Watts. We are thrilled to increase our investment in the future of this extraordinary neighborhood in such a public way,” said Martine Singer, President & CEO, Children’s Institute. “This beautiful building, designed by Frank with great care, generosity, and understanding, will enable us to be a true partner to the community.”

“A building design can tell a kid that we love you,” said Frank Gehry. “A building that is optimistic, that is outgoing and friendly to the community, sends a powerful message of support and care. I hope this building will serve and inspire children, families, and this great organization for generations to come, and let them know that people care about them.”

“This new campus is a beautiful testament to all of the people who believe in the mission of Children’s Institute and the life-changing work that it does every day of the year,” said Gelila Assefa Puck, Trustee of Children’s Institute and Global Creative Director. “My good friend Frank Gehry brought his extraordinary vision and heart to realizing our dream even better than we could have imagined it and for that, we are so very grateful. Frank has created a community epicenter that will inspire and allow us to continue to grow and evolve to meet the changing needs of this beautiful community.”

The Design

One of the primary goals of the facility was to help strengthen the connection between CII and the Watts community. As such, the building is designed to operate as both a community center and a therapy center, providing flexible public spaces that can be used for neighborhood council meetings and community events and creating transparent and accessible entry points.

Architecturally, the façade of the building is broken down to relate to the adjacent single-family residences while also reflecting the scale of the programs inside. The building is made of simple interlocking volumes made of plaster and corrugated metal cladding. The priority was to create a welcoming building, one that was scaled appropriately to the surrounding neighborhood and one that would feel approachable and useable by the community. The interior is full of natural light from the large windows and the many skylights throughout. Double height public spaces are scaled to accommodate larger community gatherings, while on the second floor, open office areas open to the central atrium below. There are a series of smaller group and individual therapy rooms off the atrium as well, each with large windows to fill the space with natural light.

Joining Frank Gehry in the Gehry Partners design team are Sam Gehry, Thomas Kim, Laurence Tighe, Precious Aiyeloja, Aaron Ryan, Tyler McMartin, Jack Bian, and Meaghan Lloyd. Elysian Landscapes is the landscape architect. The architect of record is Chait & Company.

Adding to the beauty of the new space is a permanent art exhibition in the public areas of the building curated in partnership with the Watts Towers Arts Center. A centerpiece of the new collection is a dynamic work commissioned by CII for its new home from Los Angeles artist Frank Romero. Other artists include Charles Dickson, Mark Stephen Greenfield, Lee Jaffe, and La Mont Westmoreland.

New Campus to Serve Broad Range of CII Programs to Watts Residents

The campus will house a range of therapeutic programs and free services for children and families, including toddler socialization, individual and group counseling, youth development activities, parenting workshops, workforce development/employment support, and Project Fatherhood sessions. The building is also home to the Watts Gang Task Force formed nearly 15 years ago to broker peace in the community, and the LAPD Community Safety Partnership, a nationally recognized model for relationship-based policing. New office space for 150 Children’s Institute staff members will enable teams to manage the many programs and continue to strengthen programmatic reach.

“The new Watts campus is a beautiful symbol of Children’s Institute’s ongoing commitment to our city and this neighborhood in particular,” said Los Angeles Police Department Captain and Children’s Institute Trustee Emada Tingirides. “I know that my patrol officers that work in the community of Watts have a partner as we try to address some of the concerns, trauma and violence in the community.
Children’s Institute continues to be an unwavering partner to Watts families year after year.”

Donny Joubert, Vice President of the Watts Gang Task Force, said: “Having our first-ever homebase gives us the opportunity to do a lot more outreach. We are blessed to have this valuable new community space as we continue to work to create safe and peaceful neighborhoods.”

Community Celebration

The Children’s Institute has planned a Community Celebration on June 25 at the new Watts Campus to welcome families, children and neighbors to explore and enjoy a day of performances and activities. The event runs from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m.

Following remarks by Martine Singer, Frank Gehry, Supervisor Holly Mitchell and other VIPs, a ceremonial ribbon cutting will be held, and guests will be able to enjoy timed tours of the new facilities, live music performances, food trucks and more.

Support for Children’s Institute and Its new Watts Campus
Children’s Institute’s new Watts campus is made possible by generous support from the following lead donors: The Ahmanson Foundation, Ballmer Group, The C.H.I.P.S., The Colleagues, The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation, The Eisner Foundation, The Harold McAlister Charitable Foundation, Daryn McDonald Horton, W.M. Keck Foundation, The Chris & Dick Newman Family, The Otis Booth Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The Rose Hills Foundation, S. Mark Taper Foundation, and Weingart Foundation.

In addition, Children’s Institute partnered with the Los Angeles Development Fund, Genesis LA, and Wells Fargo to secure New Markets Tax Credit funding for the project. Established in 2000, the New Markets Tax Credit program generates investment and economic growth in low-income communities across the country.