Strive

2,500 square feet, New Construction plus Remodel (In Progress)
Los Angeles, California

Strive provides exemplary academic and guidance resources to 175 children, youth, and their families in the Watts community of Los Angeles. Exalting and sanctuarial, Strive is a safe haven from the thorny issues and extra challenges kids face on the streets every day. They offer dynamic formal classroom instruction and individualized academic/guidance resources all by a staff of credentialed teachers. Strive’s focus on character building, a positive mindset, and quality individualized assistance maximize classroom time to close achievement gaps, and ultimately, help kids reach their full potential.

Strive currently operates out of approximately 8,000 square feet of converted light industrial space, circa 1940. The spaces have served them well, but the programs are so in demand that the existing spaces have become crowded, while there is a significant waiting list to enroll.

With the recent acquisition of an adjacent parcel, Strive is poised to expand it’s reach by moving administrative and support services (offices, meeting rooms, library, storage, etc.) out of spaces needed for core children’s programs, and into a new building. This will also allow creation of new parking and loading spaces, provide outdoor green space, and an opportunity to increase the site utilization from the existing single-family use, to a more zone-compatible institutional use.