A key phase of demolition is expected to begin this month at 799 Central Ave. as Keshet, a nonprofit that provides services to children and adults with mental and physical disabilities, builds its new permanent center in Highland Park.
Structures associated with the building's previous tenant, a bank, will be removed, according to a press release. Interior renovations are expected to be completed in fall 2026. Of the 210,000-square-foot building, which also has several offices and salons, about 40,000 square feet will be converted into the Kersten Campus and Justin Coe Center, said CEO and President Jen Phillips.
The multimillion-dollar renovation will provide a new home for an organization that has been bouncing around the community for decades, Phillips said.
Founded in 1982 by a group of local parents who wanted to help their children with disabilities, Keshet has grown in size and scope, providing a variety of services and activities to approximately 560 children and adults with physical and mental disabilities.
Keshet offers a variety of recreational and arts programs including weekend trips, camps, day schools for various ages, and adult day programs with offices and rental space. Now the new location will have a “universal design,” Phillips said, “going beyond accessibility” and having a building for people with a variety of disabilities.
She said the organization had grown in recent years and there was a need for a new facility.
“The board laughed at me five years ago when I said we needed to get bigger office space,” Phillips said.
The new facility will have a variety of facilities, including a music therapy room with its own recording studio, teaching kitchens, Keshet's consolidated offices and a gymnasium. The building has direct access to the neighboring park and garage.
Phillips said the renovations will cost about $10.5 million, about half of the $20 million raised to purchase and renovate the building. She said the success of the fundraising campaign was a reflection of the community's investment in the organization.
“I really, truly believe that Keshet has impacted so many people,” she said. “It's not just about the people receiving services. Everyone is part of our community and is affected by this.”
Amy Cutler is a Deerfield mother whose oldest daughter, Hannah, who turns 12 in January, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant.
“We knew she would need adaptive recreational activities and support with activities of daily living,” Cutler said.
Cutler already knew about Keshet, having worked for the organization in college. Cutler said she knew her daughter would need a place to live, and Keshet kept Hannah active and social. Her daughter plays baseball, bowls, and goes to Sunday school and day camp.
“She needs a lot of support in all aspects of her life, but especially physically,” Cutler said.
She said one of the most important things for families with children with disabilities is trust. Enrolling your child who needs extra support and may not always be able to fend for themselves can be worrying. For Hannah in particular, her physical disability means that many facilities are inaccessible. Cutler praised Keshet's new venture.
“Sometimes she can come in through the front door, but there’s no place for her to go to the bathroom or change clothes if she needs to,” Cutler said. “I think adapting accessible facilities so that everyone can use them will be really interesting.”
Cutler reflected on how attitudes toward physical and mental disabilities had changed over the years, even during her daughter's lifetime. People today are much more committed to inclusivity, she said.
“It's definitely changed. I would say there's still a way to go, but it's definitely better,” she said.
