The ALS Association’s Minnesota/North Dakota/South Dakota Chapter will open a new, more accessible headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota’s, Midway neighborhood in early 2019. As part of the relocation, the chapter will also unveil a 2,000-square-foot Learning Lab, which will host support groups, trainings, meetings, equipment demonstrations and other events for people living with ALS and their families.
The 10,598-square-foot first floor location at 1919 University Centre will provide greater access for the community that the Association serves. The new office space offers ample accessible parking and is located directly on the Green Line light rail.
“Mobility is a challenge for many people living with ALS,” said Jennifer Hjelle, Executive Director at The ALS Association. “So as we started exploring the idea of the office move, our number one priority was an accessible, welcoming environment at which the ALS community would feel comfortable.”
CBRE’s Tyler Kollodge represented The ALS Association in the new lease. The association had outgrown its 7,100-square-foot Union Plaza offices in the North Loop with more than 20 employees and sought space to launch the Learning Lab.
At the Learning Lab, people living with ALS and their families will be able to experiment with smart home devices, durable medical equipment, and various other tools that will help them maintain independence and improve their quality of life.
Another factor in relocating to University Centre was its proximity to other nonprofit and community-facing organizations.