JVS Renovations

The Finished Renovations

The newly renovated exterior of the JVS Blue Ash building Barry Wolfson, a JVS manager, gives a tour to Diana Fenichel

JVS Board Member Robert Clayton, who headed the building committee, explains how the renovations came about Chrissy Perkins, left, a JVS manager, gives a tour to, from left, Judy Bertsch, Scott Steiger, Ken Wigton and Mark Fay Social media expert Michael Loban, chief marketing officer of InfoTrust, gives a presentation about social media during an evening program hosted by JVS and its Cincinnati Career Network

JVS President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bloch gives a tour Barry Wolfson, a JVS manager, gives a tour of ADS

JVS President and CEO Peter Bloch affixes a mezuzah on the front doorpost

Barry Wolfson, a JVS manager, read this blessing: “In the Jewish religion and in the tradition of the Jewish people, this ancient symbol speaks to us of our need to love God and to live by the words of the Eternal One. We re-affix this mezuzah at the entrance to, and on, the doorpost of Jewish Vocational Service, with the hope that it will remind us of our duties to God and to one another. May the divine spirit fill the Jewish Vocational Service with the spirit of love, kindness and consideration for all people. May it serve as a symbol to welcome those who enter our building and may it help us achieve our mission of Empowering Individuals and Enriching Lives. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah".

Renovations help JVS Improve its services

For 70 years, Jewish Vocational Service has adapted to accommodate the changing needs of the community.

Originally, JVS worked to strengthen the Jewish community’s presence in the workplace. Today, it serves broader needs as well, including the vocational, social and recreational needs of people with development disabilities.

Originally, JVS served the region from Downtown Cincinnati. Later, JVS moved to Roselawn, then Blue Ash. Today, it has several suburban sites. Now, JVS has adapted again. To deal with the changing needs of its clients, JVS has completed major renovations to its Blue Ash location.

The agency renovated its 54,000-square-foot building to create more space for an increasing number of clients with disabilities.

On May 6, 2010, JVS rededicated the building with tours, speeches and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. That same day, JVS celebrated its 70^th anniversary.

JVS Board Member Robert Clayton, who headed the building committee, addressed more than 100 guests and JVS consumers as he explained how the renovations came about.

For more than a decade, JVS had done piecemeal renovations. Then, JVS leaders decided the building needed more extensive upgrades.

All employees had the opportunity to make suggestions. “What you see here today are the results of everybody’s efforts,” Clayton said.

JVS added the space partly by moving some of its storage capacity to a warehouse in Blue Ash.

“We’d been working in an old, outdated facility in pretty tight quarters,” said Peter Bloch, JVS chief executive officer and president. “The renovations have created brighter, more consumer-friendly areas.”

JVS moved into the Rossplain Road building 12 years ago. Back then, JVS had 60 people in its Work Adjustment program, which orients people with developmental disabilities to workplaces and provides them with work onsite and elsewhere. Now, that program has an average of 140 people per day. Back then, JVS had 12 people in its Adult Day Service program, which provides social and recreational activities for older adults with developmental disabilities. Now, that program has 42.

JVS planned the renovations to accommodate its clients’ needs for 10 to 15 years.

JVS also modernized the offices of its Cincinnati Career Network, which provides career development services to the entire community and administers scholarship funds. The Career Network has added a conference room and computer lab for use by job seekers.

JVS spent about $850,000 on the project, borrowing about $500,000. It benefitted from low-interest rates and contractors who offered discounted prices because of the slowdown in construction work.

Bloch credited Clayton, a developer, with spearheading the renovations. “He owned this project in a very selfless way,” Bloch said. “He cares so much about the folks we serve.” With Clayton’s help, JVS spent two years planning the renovations. “We dreamed about the project,” he said. “We spent countless hours planning it and re-planning it.” During construction, folks in the Adult Day Service program used classrooms at Wise Temple in Amberley Village. On their first day back in Blue Ash, some marveled at their new quarters.

“Everything is just beautiful,” said Carol Currens, 79, of Kenwood. “Even the tables are gorgeous.” As they returned, they saw a bright room the size of a basketball court, with beige walls and a tile floor.

One of the key benefits of the new space is that all of the Adult Day Service consumers can be in the same large room to celebrate special occasions, such as holidays and birthdays. Previously, they had to be split up to fit in smaller rooms.

Now, JVS can bring in performers to entertain the entire group at once, including choirs, drill teams and magicians. And the larger space will enhance the ability of the consumers to interact with each other, to stimulate each other’s growth.

“The new space has great potential to help enrich our consumers’ lives,” Bloch said. “We’re all excited.”