The Adaptive Sports Foundation, Windham, NY

Over the past 25 years, Woodhouse has been involved in many commercial projects. From the beautiful timber frame rest stops along the New York State Thruway, a covered bridge in Bucks County, PA, various places of worship, to, most recently, the massive arched trusses that frame the clubhouse at Whistling Straights in Wisconsin (site of the 2004 PGA Championship), the Woodhouse design and manufacturing team has executed some of the country's largest and most exciting timber frame commercial projects.

This past spring we were asked to participate in a most worthwhile project with the non-profit Adaptive Sports Foundation. Founded in 1984 on Windham Mountain in the Catskill Mountains of New York State, the Adaptive Sports Founda­tion provides integrated all-season sports instruction to individuals five years of age and older, with a broad range of physical and cognitive disabilities. The mission of the organization is to offer mountain-based recreational activities for people with special needs. Through their participation in ASF programs, each student experiences enriched life skills, personal accomplishment and the ability to participate in activities that have previously been inaccessible to them.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held on September 24th at the "ski-in, ski­out" building site and the frame raising occurred in late November. Modeled after the quintessential "ski lodge or mountain house," the Center, with 7200 square feet of floor area, is timber frame construc­tion with large windows that look out on the slopes of Windham Mountain. Spread out over three levels, there will be plenty of spaces for students, volunteers, and family members to sit and socialize. There is a fireplace on the main level and a deck that will provide spectacular views year-round. The Center will be acces­sible to all disabilities and will provide everyone with a "world-class" experience at Windham Mountain.

Woodhouse is proud to be a part of the Adaptive Sports Center project.

Individuals with a broad range of disabil­ities learned to ski with the ASF program; the program grew, and the success stories multiplied. ASF is now the largest adaptive sports program on the east coast and one of the top ten in the country. The success of the Adaptive Sports Foundation on Wind ham Mountain was so great that it outgrew its facilities and needed a more permanent home.

Woodhouse became involved through our long-time friend and Woodhouse independent Builder-Dealer, Dick Jordan. Dick pulled together a design-build team consisting of his company, Brainard Ridge Associates, Woodhouse, and an Albany-based commercial builder, Bette and Cring. Bette and Cring, Woodhouse architect Andy Harding, Dick Jordan and Cherisse Young and Frank Williamson of the ASF designed a beautiful and welcoming building that met all of the special needs required by the ASE

Dick Jordan commented that, "'The design-build process allowed us to eliminate much of the time and cost typically associated with a traditional design process. By having immediate feedback from the client, builder, and architect on design decisions as they were made, we were able to quickly optimize the design to meet the needs of the client within our budget."