Campus Construction
"It’s the result of many hours of work by a number of volunteer professionals,” said lead draftsman and Landscape Architect, Jeff Pitts, of Ratio Architects in Indianapolis. Pitts has spearheaded the campus design and included input from civil engineers, surveyors, and general contractors.
With the main road now constructed and three homes framed in, the team’s campus design is now becoming a beautiful reality.
According to New Song’s Executive Director, Bob Schloss, the design of the campus has its very roots in children. “We’ve focused on kids from the very beginning, even asking their advice in the early stages of the plan’s development,” Schloss shared. “What matters the most in the end is whether children feel at home: safe, loved and well cared for.”
Schloss’s words are born out in the site plan details. A two acre fishing pond, horse barn, and soccer field are located in the middle of the unique campus. Kids will walk by the horses on their way to school, which will be located toward the main entrance of the campus. Homes will be spread out on the back 83 acre tract on the other side of a classic Brown County creek, with each home resting nicely upon about four acres.
“It’s shaping into such a beautiful neighborhood,” said Schloss. “I’m so very grateful for Jeff’s dedication and hard work, and I am very proud of what he and the team accomplished.”
Home Site A--looking across the new bridge over the campus creek.
Pitts is quick to share the credit. “When the nine of us got together to walk the property, I knew that we had a special group of people,” he said. “It’s very rare in my line of work as a site designer that you have the opportunity to create a plan from scratch. And to do this while combining forces with volunteers who come from a broad variety of disciplines is a uniquely rewarding experience. From Weldon Carlin of Accu-Air, who provided a free aerial survey, to Steve Brehob (our lead civil engineer), Dave Kreie (architect) and Tom Fansler (Smock Fansler Construction), all of the guys have done a great job. My hat goes off to the team.”
Most of us know the good feelings that come from having a special place to call "home." That's the vision for New Song: to provide loving homes for kids who need them. A child with New Song will live in a home like this--a beautiful, country house with a big front porch and a warm, inviting fireplace; a typical home, with comfortable bedrooms and a spacious backyard where kids can climb trees or play catch.
Bob Schloss, Executive Director of New Song, is especially passionate when he talks about the opportunity these homes represent to hurting children in Indiana. “Children thrive when raised in loving, nurturing families. The homes of New Song will not be dormitories or institutional settings, but real homes; homes where children feel cared for, safe, and loved."
Modeled after other successful Christian children's homes throughout the country, the community of New Song will look much like any other rural neighborhood. Each home will be unique, yet all will offer comfortable, inviting living space, with large family rooms adjoining the roomy kitchens, and fun, recreational areas in the basements. Each child will share a bedroom with another child and will be able to decorate their room with a personal touch. In fact, virtually every feature of these homes has been designed to create and instill a sense of belonging for the children who live there.
“It is a top priority of ours," says Bob, "that children feel safe, secure, and loved in a place they can truly call ‘home’.”