Iowa West Foundation Collaboration Center at Lakin Human Services Campus Opens Its Doors

Slate Architecture is honored to have contributed to the newly opened Iowa West Foundation Collaboration Center, located at the Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus in Council Bluffs, IA. The $14.1 million center, officially launched in September 2024, brings together Firefly, Together Inc., Iowa Legal Aid, and the Visiting Nurse Association under one roof.

Designed with the community in mind, the center features essential amenities, including conference rooms, a teaching kitchen, and the Rod Rhoden Rooftop Patio. It offers nonprofits like Iowa Legal Aid a much-needed upgrade—marking their first relocation in over four decades—and gives organizations a modern, collaborative environment to better serve clients with dignity and efficiency.

Located on a bus line and next to the Boys and Girls Club and Salvation Army, the Collaboration Center also houses Together Inc.'s full-service food pantry, enhancing its accessibility to the community. According to Iowa West Foundation's president and CEO, Brenda Mainwaring, the center aligns with the foundation’s ongoing efforts to address hunger and create a space where nonprofits can collaborate more effectively.

At the ribbon-cutting event, Council Bluffs mayor Matt Walsh along with leaders from across the nonprofit sector emphasized the unique and forward-thinking nature of the Lakin Campus, calling it a national model for human services collaboration. This project represents another important milestone in Slate Architecture’s mission to design spaces that unite communities, inspire cooperation, and provide vital support services.

For more details, read the full article from The Daily Nonpareil here.