STAMFORD — Abilis will celebrate its grand opening of The Cohen Abilis Advancement Center at 78 Harvard Ave. Thursday, Jan. 30.
The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, led by Cohen, provided a $3.78 million grant for the purchase and renovation of the building.
“Access to high quality programs can help support a dignified and meaningful life,” said Alex Cohen, president of the foundation. “We are proud to see The Cohen Abilis Advancement Center open and serve as a central hub for individuals with disabilities in our community.”
The nonprofit organization provides services and support to more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families throughout Fairfield County. The center will officially open at 1:30 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Alex Cohen, local dignitaries, Abilis staff and board members, and Abilis community members.
“Today marks an incredible milestone for Abilis and the hundreds of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities we serve throughout Fairfield County as we celebrate the grand opening of phase one of our renovation of The Cohen Abilis Advancement Center,” said Amy Montimurro, CEO and president of Abilis. “This center significantly expands our capacity to provide exceptional support and programs to the community. Thanks to the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, and specifically Alex Cohen, president of the Foundation, for her vision, support and commitment to Abilis, we now have a fully accessible space that will allow families who have been waiting for services.”
The Center offers ample parking, making it easily accessible for Abilis community members from throughout lower Fairfield County.
The building doubles the space that Abilis has in its Greenwich headquarters and provides space for programs and services to enhance the quality of life of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Renovation of the building is being done in stages, with the first phase on the third floor recently completed. Phase two on the second floor will be in the future. The building was previously owned by 78 Harvard Associates LLC, an affiliate of Baywater Properties.
The newly renovated space features an open, accessible floor plan across two floors and offers:
- Expanded LEAP (Life Skills, Employment, Advocacy, Partnership) transitions program space
- A career development and vocational training center
- Enhanced space for Abilis’ Supported Typing/STeP program
- Dedicated areas for music, art, cooking, dance, fitness programs and more
- A day habilitation center
- Recreational space
- Computer technology training
- Administrative offices
The Cohen Abilis Advancement Center is Abilis’ second location in Stamford, joining The Therapy Center at Abilis in downtown Stamford on Summer Street.
“This expansion in both space and geography allows Abilis to better serve the growing needs of our community and expand access to our programs and services for more families in Fairfield County who have a loved one with a disability,” noted Montimurro. “We’ve had a waitlist of families waiting for us to have the space to accommodate individuals — and this building gives us that extra space.”
Besides being philanthropists, the Cohens are owners of the New York Mets.
