Construction starts on rebuilding United Community Independence Programs

Jan. 20—A rebuilding of United Community Independence Programs' office building is expected to be completed this fall — two years after a fire destroyed the original building.

UCIP is a nonprofit agency providing services to more than 400 people with intellectual disabilities in Crawford, Clarion and Venango counties. It has about 300 employees.

Construction got underway earlier this month on an estimated $2 million rebuilding and relocation project at the site of the original building on Cussewago Road just outside of Meadville. Construction is being paid for from the agency's insurance settlement from the September 2019 fire.

The new facility will be different from the previous building, according to Leanne Severo, UCIP's executive director, especially because it's going to be one story instead of two.

The previous building was the former Fredericksburg Elementary School which became UCIP's headquarters in the 1980s before the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990.

"With a new two-story building we'd be required to install an elevator which would be cost prohibitive for us," Severo said.

The new building will have about 5,900 square feet in all with 20 administrative offices plus a multi-purpose room of 1,200 square feet for training.

Meanwhile, day programming for the agency's clients is moving to a new location.

In May 2020, UCIP purchased the former McGill Power & Bell accounting offices at 623 State St. on Meadville's east side. While it's a two-story building, its second floor can be accessed from ground level as the building is built partially into a hill.

The State Street building has about 3,400 square feet on each of its two floors, according to Matt Capron, UCIP's maintenance manager. The site is undergoing renovations with one floor to be used for day programming for clients. It's expected to be ready by March.

"We're renovating it for individuals who use our services," Severo said. "We wanted to do a site that's closer to town so it's easier access for people."

As part of the that purchase, UCIP also acquired the neighboring former Medicine Shoppe property at 629 State St. Future plans call for it to be renovated into a drop-in center for UCIP clients, Severo and Capron said.

Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.

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