A key consideration was creating an open, inviting, yet secure entry. Double height windows and a welcoming canopy beckon visitors to the building’s entrance lobby, which provides space to orient oneself and greet waiting friends.

The Heart of the JCC is a distinctive feature. It’s the connective tissue for everything happening there. Its centrality lets you see many activities at once—swimming, dance practice, kids playing. It’s also a great place to meet friends and build community.JCC's playroom overlooks the outside playgroundThe souks (bazaars) of Israel informed the concept for The Street at the JCC—a thoroughfare connecting people to people and people to programs.

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PROJECT DETAILS

PROJECT NAME
Jewish Community of Louisville, The Trager Family Jewish Community Center
LOCATION
3600 Dutchmans Ln

Louisville ,

KY

CLIENT/OWNER
Jewish Community of Louisville
SIZE
106,500 sq. feet
SHARED BY
Jennifer Sebranek
CONSULTANTS
Construction Manager: Calhoun Construction Services,
Civil Engineer: SWL, Inc.,
Structural Engineer: Brown & Kubican,
Other: CMTA (mechanical/electrical),
Other: Brandstetter Carol, Inc. (Pool Consultant),

Other: PLC Management (Owner’s Representative)

PROJECT STATUS
On the Boards/In Progress

Title: The Heart of it All

Intro:
A vibrant new Jewish Community Center welcomes all people to live healthy, engaged lives of meaning and purpose.

Story:
The Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Louisville holds a unique place within the region’s cultural heritage. It has been a beacon of integration for successive waves of Jewish immigrants to Louisville; home to countless Jewish families over the past 120 years; a place of unity and cohesion for Louisville’s Jewish community; and a hub of inclusivity and understanding within the broader population. Inherent in the organization’s mission, vision, and core beliefs is a holistic commitment to the fundamental wellness of individuals and their communities.

GBBN is working with the Jewish Community of Louisville (JCL) to create a multi-purpose center to serve future generations of Louisville’s Jewish and Metro communities. The building is organized around the core experiences at the center of the JCC’s mission: the Jewish Learning Center; fitness and aquatics; and social programming, such as a theater and cafe. These three components – understood as the Mind, Body, and Soul of the institution – are linked by an airy public space at the core of the building dubbed “The Heart.”

The facility will bring new energy to these vital programs by maximizing connectivity between them and uniting them around common spaces that reinforce a shared sense of purpose and community, The building is designed to be an open and inclusive place, suitable for civic discourse and informal interaction amongst the JCC’s diverse and wide-ranging membership (people of all ages, abilities, and cultural backgrounds are welcome at the JCC). It aims to foster a deeper understanding of Jewish history and culture by providing an inviting and comfortable “second home” for people to connect, grow roots in the Louisville community, and create lifelong memories.