Vincentian Schenley Gardens
will be the new frontier of
Vincentian Schenley Gardens Today
Vincentian Schenley Gardens is a licensed nonprofit personal care community located at the gateway to Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, in the heart of the “eds and meds” area.
Since 2019, Vincentian has owned and operated this campus, serving older adults who benefit from assistance with daily living support within the comfort and convenience of their own studio, one, and two-bedroom apartments and shared community spaces.
Additionally, Vincentian has welcomed graduate college students to live within the community, gathering with the residents for a variety of activities and programs and creating meaningful relationships across generations that strengthen with each passing day.
Since Vincentian began its ministries in 1924 serving the most vulnerable Pittsburghers, and initiating childcare in 1972 when there was a community need from women entering the workforce, Vincentian has always run to address the multifaceted needs of people, sometimes before they are even spoken.
Tomorrow’s Vincentian Schenley Gardens
Believing that connection, strength-affirming holistic wellness approaches, and purpose are essential across all ages, Vincentian developed a campus master plan for Vincentian Schenley Gardens during the pandemic.
A multidisciplinary team pursued honing an inspirational vision of creating a dynamic intergenerational community that will serve all generations and people together.
This master plan has taken shape into a framework to serve infants through those at end of life as one shared community, and translated a vision to actionable architectural renderings, floorplans, and programs to make it a viable reality.
Future Stories Imagined To Be Told
She receives photos throughout the morning of her daughter laughing and running outside on the playground, in the multimedia room taking a virtual field trip to the beach surrounded by seniors and college students who are pointing out and talking about their favorite sights and sounds at the ocean while snacking on saltwater taffy, and then “reading” to her dog friend Otis who lives with the kind man in 437 who brings his dog to the intergenerational library every day at 10:30am for story time. At the end of the workday, the nurse arrives back at Vincentian Schenley Gardens by shuttle, grabs her yoga mat out of her car, and joins the yoga class just getting started in the wellness studio led by one of the Chatham University students in residence while her daughter gets an overdue haircut in the campus' salon and spa that she just couldn’t find the time to fit in last week. She books herself a massage for the following week when she picks her up and the two of them grab their sustainably-sourced family meal on the way out that she’s grateful only takes 30 minutes to heat up when they get home.
On the drive home, her daughter is beaming with pride as she describes the cherry tomatoes that are almost ready to eat that she and Ms. Potter planted weeks ago in the raised garden, and they’ve been telling stories about how food grows while checking on the buds every day. The nurse smiles to herself, remembering the same stories Ms. Potter told her years ago when she herself was a young girl and lived across the street from Ms. Potter; how funny life is. She exhales a breath of gratitude that she’s found somewhere where her daughter experiences such richness and connection to others, that delivers experiences that could not possibly be fit into a working mom’s schedule otherwise and that gives them both a feeling of a community and support.
ADD TO TABS -- BRINGING EXPERTISE TO A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD IN NEED
For Vincentian Schenley Gardens
Since 1972, in response to a new community need driven from women joining the workforce, Vincentian has delivered quality childcare services to the youngest Pittsburghers. With locations in both McCandless and Greentree, Vincentian Child Discovery Centers have been a reliable institution in their communities.
Teachers design weekly lesson plans based on PA Early Learning Standards but through the lens of Creative Curriculum, a flexible framework empowering teachers to use their own observations to tailor schedules, physical classroom environments and activities to best meet the holistic needs of each child and classroom. Since young children learn through experiencing the world, explorative play that requires use of large and small muscle function, social interactions, and cognitive and emotional skills are built in to free play to facilitate learning experiences.
ADD TO TABS -- Vincentian's Current Intergenerational Programs
Chatham University & Vincentian Schenley Gardens Intergenerational Program
WQED Documentary Alone: Isolation Hurts
Fur-Ever Friends: Keeping People and Their Pets Together
ADD TO TABS "The why of Intergenerational living and..." -- Why Intergenerational
THE EVIDENCE
Generations United, a recognized global expert defines intergenerational programs as programs which “intentionally unite the generations in ways that enrich participants’ lives and help address vital social and community issues while building on the positive resources that young and old have to offer each other and to their communities.” Their work involves gathering, researching and providing best practice recommendations, along with partnering with academics and organization leadership.
RESEARCH HAS DOCUMENTED A WIDE RANGE OF BENEFITS
FOR INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMS
INTERGENERATIONAL PRACTICES & PROGRAMS
In a series of polls and surveys of 2,000+ American adults:
Intergenerational practice involves bringing people together in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities that promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contribute to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational practice is inclusive, and builds on the positive resources that both young and old can offer each other and those around them. Research suggests that engagement in high-quality intergenerational programs and meaningful cross-age relationships may decrease social isolation and increase older adults’ sense of belonging, self-esteem, and well-being.
INTERGENERATIONAL PRACTICES & PROGRAMS:
CUSTOMER-DESIRED
Sources:
WHY Vincentian
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THE FUTURE VINCENTIAN SCHENLEY GARDENS: A TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMUNITY
A nurse who commutes to Oakland parks her new electric vehicle in the Vincentian Schenley Gardens parking garage to charge for the day, walks her daughter into the Child Discovery Center and buys her favorite latte and local grains artisanal scone from the bistro before boarding the free University of Pittsburgh shuttle to her Oakland-area hospital workplace.
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Creative and expressive arts maker space
A Responsive Vision to Answer
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Emotional
Intellectual
Enviromental
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Vocational
Backyard Terrace
A Responsive Vision to Answer
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Intergenerational Cafe
A Responsive Vision to Answer
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Emotional
Intellectual
Enviromental
Physical
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Intergenerational Library
A Responsive Vision to Answer
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Enviromental
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FINANCIAL SUPPORT NEEDED TO MAKE IT A REALITY
- Capital improvements needed
- Phases based on funding acquired
Vincentian Child Discovery Center
For Vincentian Schenley Gardens
Delivering Quality Childcare for 50+ Years Since 1972, in response to a new community need driven from women joining the workforce, Vincentian has delivered quality childcare services to the youngest Pittsburghers. With locations in both McCandless and Greentree, Vincentian Child Discovery Centers have been a reliable institution in their communities. Vincentian is poised to answer the community needs in a new location, and through intentional human-centered design guided by wellness, sustainability, and powering meaningful intergenerational connections.
CHILDCARE SCARCITY
Multiple studies and sources indicate the need for quality childcare in Pittsburgh, and the ripple impact of not having adequate childcare available. As of a February 2023 survey, 5,851 children in Allegheny County are currently on wait lists for childcare. Below are links to many sources voicing the need for childcare.
Our Transformative Vision
Segmenting people by age or audience is counterintuitive to the human condition. The shared innate need is that for connection, not separation. Yet seniors are whisked to their own location, children to another, college students to another…and so it goes. But that is not how it has to be; or how it should be.
And it will not be the case at Vincentian Schenley Gardens.
While the vision for Vincentian Schenley Gardens is rooted in evidence, research, and multidisciplinary expertise, that evidence has been deconstructed and reconstructed to create a unique offering and community like no other. Silos of age segregation will disappear as a vibrant intergenerational community that prioritizes organic human connection, wellness, sustainability, and individual strengths comes to life.
For Vincentian Schenley Gardens
Adjacent Connection Enhancing Elements
Boosting Connections For Greater Impact
The following elements and accompanying inspirational design imagery are not within the childcare spaces and budget, but are within the campus master plan and will enhance childcare programming and offerings once completed.
Our Key Aspects of Wellness
Our Key Aspects of Wellness
Our Key Aspects of Wellness
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An Intergenerational Community of Tomorrow
A Responsive Vision to Answer
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An Intergenerational Community of Tomorrow
A Responsive Vision to Answer
Creative and expressive arts maker space
Emotional
Intellectual
Enviromental
Financial
Physical
Social
Spiritual
Vocational
Future Stories Imagined To Be Told
Together, We Can Continue to Transform Aging Care for Pittsburghers.
A nurse who commutes to Oakland parks her new electric vehicle in the Vincentian Schenley Gardens parking garage to charge for the day, walks her daughter into the Child Discovery Center and buys her favorite latte and local grains artisanal scone from the bistro before boarding the free University of Pittsburgh shuttle to her Oakland-area hospital workplace.
Future Stories Imagined To Be Told
A nurse who commutes to Oakland parks her new electric vehicle in the Vincentian Schenley Gardens parking garage to charge for the day, walks her daughter into the Child Discovery Center and buys her favorite latte and local grains artisanal scone from the bistro before boarding the free University of Pittsburgh shuttle to her Oakland-area hospital workplace.
She receives photos throughout the morning of her daughter laughing and running outside on the playground, in the multimedia room taking a virtual field trip to the beach surrounded by seniors and college students who are pointing out and talking about their favorite sights and sounds at the ocean while snacking on saltwater taffy, and then “reading” to her dog friend Otis who lives with the kind man in 437 who brings his dog to the intergenerational library every day at 10:30am for story time. At the end of the workday, the nurse arrives back at Vincentian Schenley Gardens by shuttle, grabs her yoga mat out of her car, and joins the yoga class just getting started in the wellness studio led by one of the Chatham University students in residence while her daughter gets an overdue haircut in the campus' salon and spa that she just couldn’t find the time to fit in last week. She books herself a massage for the following week when she picks her up and the two of them grab their sustainably-sourced family meal on the way out that she’s grateful only takes 30 minutes to heat up when they get home.
On the drive home, her daughter is beaming with pride as she describes the cherry tomatoes that are almost ready to eat that she and Ms. Potter planted weeks ago in the raised garden, and they’ve been telling stories about how food grows while checking on the buds every day. The nurse smiles to herself, remembering the same stories Ms. Potter told her years ago when she herself was a young girl and lived across the street from Ms. Potter; how funny life is. She exhales a breath of gratitude that she’s found somewhere where her daughter experiences such richness and connection to others, that delivers experiences that could not possibly be fit into a working mom’s schedule otherwise and that gives them both a feeling of a community and support.
About Schenley Gardens
Purchased by Vincentian in 2019, Schenley Gardens is located within the City of Pittsburgh on Bigelow Boulevard at the gateway to the Oakland neighborhood. It has operated as a personal care home since its opening in 2000. Adjacent to what was originally constructed as a Marriot hotel built at the same time, Vincentian Schenley Gardens shares a condominium agreement along with a 222-space parking garage connecting both buildings. The University of Pittsburgh purchased the Marriott in 2022 for graduate student housing. Vincentian immediately initiated campus renovations which were paused in 2020. Post pandemic, Vincentian emerged with a comprehensive master plan and launched an initial phase of updates to infrastructure and a number of resident apartment units which were completed in early 2023.
Vincentian Schenley Gardens Tomorrow
Since Vincentian began its ministries in 1924 serving the most vulnerable Pittsburghers, and initiating childcare in 1972 when there was a community need from women entering the workforce, Vincentian has always run to address the multifaceted needs of people, sometimes before they are even spoken.
Believing that connection, strength-affirming holistic wellness approaches and purpose are essential across all ages (and identifying the impact of loneliness before the US Surgeon General released its report calling it the public health epidemic of our time), Vincentian developed a campus master plan for Vincentian Schenley Gardens during the pandemic. A multidisciplinary team pursued honing an inspirational vision of creating a dynamic intergenerational community that will serve all generations and people: together. This master plan has taken shape into a framework to serve infants to those at end of life as one shared community, and taken a vision to actionable architectural renderings, floorplans, and programs to make it a reality.
