You know that feeling when you think you are being punk’d? 

That’s how I felt the day a producer called me for the 15th season of NBC’s hit home renovation series “George to the Rescue,” with host and contractor George Oliphant.  

The project was to refresh the art room and outdoor playground of Hope 7 Community Center in Troy, NY, which supports low-income families with a food pantry and safe, joyful resources for children ages 5-15 years old. 

All the work needed to be completed in three weeks, with all material and labor donated. We had to coordinate with the city, meet code requirements, reroute kids, and somehow keep all of it a surprise.  The success of this project was in my lap, and I needed to move quickly.

One of the beautiful truths to our region is that our construction community is strong, and we are all tied together in some facet. I am so proud of our design/construction community for stepping up to help one of our own. It is a great example of how this area comes together to build each other up. Bravo Capital Region!

Rescuing the Firehouse

Transforming the two-hundred-year-old Hope 7 Firehouse started with a computerized rendering of the modern, clean, organic design. Accentuating the building’s bright, natural lighting, both the Art Room and the Playground feature three pod layouts. 

Now brimming with versality, the Art Room renovation began by replacing the carpeting with luxury vinyl flooring. Secure shelving and coordinated wicker baskets optimize storage. The durable, easy-to-clean surfaces are designated by energy-efficient motion-sensing LED strip lighting and oversized bamboo shade pendants. After National Grid conducted an energy audit, mini-splits and smart thermostats were installed to help the non-profit community center further control energy usage.  

Inviting inspiration, the Art Room’s clean design exudes warmth with blank canvas white walls, black metals, and wood furniture. The preserved moss walls (natural art that help with sound absorbency), add pops of sage green into the space which features a centralized teacher’s desk, rounded tables, an interior wall work station, and a standing station.

Outside, the narrow 16’ x 67’ playground was transformed into a cleaner, healthier space for creative exploration that inspires a sense of pride in the entire community. The old, dirty, rubber mulch was removed, new landscaping, and new turf added. Wall murals illustrate the building’s heroic history, while the sandbox, climbing area, performance stage, planter boxes, and outdoor play items uplift and enrich the children’s experience. 

In addition to National Grid employees volunteering to help with the Hope 7 Community Center renovation, a $50,000 gift through National Grid’s Project C Program will help them further their mission of bringing hope to more families in Troy’s East Side neighborhood.