Pinecrest community center to get a $5 million makeover

The Village of Pinecrest will soon have a new and improved community center, a facility that currently features health and fitness classes.

On Friday, council members and city staff held a groundbreaking ceremony on the site, which will include a 7,000 square-foot expansion to the existing building.

The project is being financed with bond proceeds approved by the Village Council in 2015. That bond issue included funds for the community center expansion project and the Coral Pine Park tennis center project.

Between construction and design, the LEED-certified project is expected to cost about $5 million, said Mayor Cindy Lerner.

“Based on the demands of the community, the needs of the community and the vision of our council, we are excited to have approved the plans and the financing,” Lerner said. “What we are about to see is the expansion of additional space that will enable us to offer even more fitness and enrichment programs.”

The community center’s makeover will include a new fitness center with locker rooms and restrooms, a larger spinning room, a movement and dance room, a gazebo, additional landscaping, an outdoor play area for children, a walking path and a cafe. Before making any decisions, Pinecrest officials held three community workshops regarding the project.

The center, which sits on the former Parrot Jungle site at Southwest 111th Street and 57th Avenue, was converted into a community center in 2008 when the property became Pinecrest Gardens. The building is connected to the village’s public library.

The master plan for the community center was completed in 2014 after several neighborhood workshops were held and was approved by the Village Council in the current year’s budget. City staff said construction should be completed by May 2018.

This story was originally published October 26, 2016 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Pinecrest community center to get a $5 million makeover."