The Center, founded by Ann M. Drake, President of Lincoln Road
Enterprises, will give women leaders an inspiring place to
collaborate on finding answers to complex global
challenges.
WILLIAMS
BAY, Wis., July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- More than
200 supporters, city officials, friends, and dignitaries celebrated
the start of construction on a new Women's Leadership Center in
Williams Bay—a unique meeting place designed to foster high levels
of creativity, collaboration, and contribution, where accomplished
women will come together to incubate fresh approaches to complex
challenges—in a groundbreaking ceremony on July 19, 2024.
"I know it's going to be a wonderful
addition to the Village, an architectural gem, and an important
resource."
"We like to say, 'Tomorrow starts here," said Ann M. Drake, President of Lincoln Road
Enterprises and founder and President of the Women's Leadership
Center, which is rising at 333 W. Constance Boulevard in
Williams Bay, WI. "That's because
we think the conversations we have here can change everything."
Citing the many contributions of women to science, technology,
math, aviation, and space exploration over the centuries, Drake
affirmed that the new center will be dedicated to making the world
a better place through creative teamwork among women leaders. "This
is where trained minds will come together to lead innovation in
many fields," she said. "Yes, we want to have a positive impact for
women. But this project is bigger that. This is about having an
impact on the future. We're going to do that by providing women
leaders with an inspiring, unique setting in which to gather,
dream, plan, and collaborate."
The new center under construction will occupy 8.63 acres of land
overlooking Geneva Lake. When
complete, its campus will feature three buildings for collaborative
meetings and presentations plus a gently twisting boardwalk that
weaves through a ravine on the property down to the shores of
Geneva Lake.
Designs for the buildings and ravine walk were created by
celebrated architectural pioneer Jeanne
Gang and her award-winning architecture and urban design
practice, Studio Gang. The completed campus will include just under
25,000 square feet of space. Landscaping for the center will
re-introduce various native plants and grasses so that the site is
restored to high-quality woodland typical of southeastern
Wisconsin. In addition, every tree
taken down as part of the construction process will be replaced for
a zero net loss of trees on the property.
Groundbreaking came after three years of planning, design work,
and village approvals for the property, which adjoins the recently
renovated Yerkes Observatory and the campus of the former
George Williams College of
Aurora University.
"Getting to today has been a journey," said Village President
and Board of Trustees member Bill
Duncan in his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony. "We
listened to a lot of voices and weighed a lot of considerations. I
think we have the result of a thoughtful process. I know it's going
to be a wonderful addition to the Village, an architectural gem,
and an important resource."
"This development and where we are today is really a win in many
ways," added Lowell Wright, member
of the Board of Trustees. "It reflects our heritage—the heritage of
the university, the camps, of Kishwauketoe, the civic culture, the
science, the arts, all of which have a place in our village. So,
we're excited to welcome the Women's Leadership Center to our
community."
In the initial phase of site work, Pepper Construction has been
clearing trees tagged for removal and grading the land. Work on
utilities is currently underway, including installing a new water
main, storm sewers, and sanitary sewers, plus connecting to
electrical service. After foundations are poured, walls for the
campus buildings are expected to start going up in August.
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
In addressing the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony, Drake
thanked the many community members, committees, citizens, and
Village administrators who participated in years of dialogue
leading up to groundbreaking.
In addition to Bill Duncan and
Lowell Wight, other speakers sharing
remarks and shovels at the groundbreaking ceremony included
Juliane Wolf, Design Principal and
Partner, Studio Gang; Susan Weiler,
Partner at OLIN, a landscaping architecture studio; Anthony Alleman, Project Director, Pepper
Construction; and Peter Vargulich,
President, Blue Stem Design, Inc.
"You know the phrase, 'It takes a village'?" said Drake. "It
really did take a village to get to today. But we are proud to join
you as one who loves this very special part of the world and knows
this land is a treasure."
ABOUT LINCOLN ROAD ENTERPRISES:
Lincoln Road
Enterprises is a transformative organization invested in the
advancement of women's leadership. Our mission is to elevate women
by supporting new talent, improving systems, and encouraging bold
ideas. We support initiatives that foster women's contributions to
and influence in public and private enterprise, global supply
chain, engineering and technology, infrastructure and design, and
space and astrophysics. For more information: lincoln-road.com.
ABOUT WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP CENTER AT WILLIAMS BAY:
The Women's Leadership
Center will convene leaders in a unique meeting place designed to
foster high levels of creativity, collaboration, and contribution,
where accomplished women will come together to incubate fresh
approaches to complex challenges. Leading the design effort is
Studio Gang, the award-winning architecture and urban design
practice led by MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang, known for an approach
that draws insight from ecological systems and builds stronger
relationships between people and nature. When it opens in late
2025, the Center will be a place where conversations happen that
could change the world. For more information:
womensleadershipcenter.org.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lincoln Road
Enterprises
Jennifer
Nix
(312)
402-0740
jen@lincoln-road.com
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SOURCE Lincoln Road Enterprises