Following $5.9M renovation, new Batavia community center expected to open this fall

Batavia Park District residents will have a slew of new programming and a new indoor recreational facility at their disposal by the end of the year, as construction is well underway on the Patrick J. Callahan Community Center.

The $5.9 million renovation project began last spring and is expected to be completed by the end of this summer, with a grand opening event scheduled for Aug. 9.

The park district purchased the 12,940-square-foot office building at 150 Houston St. in 2021 and began designing the project in 2023.

When the renovation is complete, the facility will offer 8,480 square feet of indoor recreation space for all ages.

The remaining space will house various public areas and programming, including a community room, a gathering place for active older adults, enrichment programs for children, and multi-purpose spaces.

The building will also house park district administrative offices, Batavia Access Television, Depot Museum offices and exhibits, collection storage space, a curation lab and maker spaces.

The center is named after the Park District Board President Pat Callahan, who has served on the board for 27 years.

The park district was awarded a $2.8 million state grant for the project as well as a $430,000 donation from the Batavia Historical Society, which will be used to fund the project.