In the News: Extensive search leads LearningWorks to new HQ
The following article by Laurie Schreiber was published by Mainebiz on January 12, 2024
Image via The Boulos Co.
LearningWorks, a Portland education nonprofit, has found a new location for its facility in a 6,300 square-foot lease of office and retail space at 190 Riverside St. in Portland.
The nonprofit has been at 181 Brackett St., a 13,020-square-foot building on Portland’s West End, since 1967, but has said the building no longer fits its needs.
“Following an extensive search, we are excited about relocating to this space,” said Tom McLaughlin, the nonprofit’s executive director. “The location — just off the Maine Turnpike — will make our offices and programs easily accessible to our participants and community partners.”
He continued, “We are particularly thrilled about the opportunity to create well-equipped instructional areas for our YouthBuild construction and culinary programs. Hands-on learning in these environments will boost our students’ capacity to secure future employment.”
Samantha Marinko and Greg Boulos of the Boulos Co. represented the landlord, Bounty Development LLC, and Boulos’ Jessica Estes represented LearningWorks in the transaction
The Class A building dates back to 1988 and is 45,421 square feet in all. It was marketed as a professionally managed and beautifully maintained office building, with ample on-site parking, excellent visibility and a tenant mix of many professional office users.
The location is immediately off Maine Turnpike Exit 48.
About LearningWorks
LearningWorks’s roots date back to the mid-1960s, when residents of Portland’s West End banded together to advocate for change on behalf of families who were struggling to maintain affordable housing. The grassroots neighborhood advocacy group became known as Portland West in 1967.
Through the housing rights work, Portland West came to appreciate that education was the best pathway out of poverty and the group reoriented its mission to focus on education, according to the organization’s website.
Today, LearningWorks provides free education programs for children, adults and families. The organization’s primary goal is to support academic and personal success for those who lack resources or fall outside traditional educational structures, helping them to transition from a place of struggle and hopelessness to a place of possibility and opportunity. The organization annually serves more than 1,500 people and 20 local schools.