Pharrell Williams + Oppenheim Collaborate for the Pharrell Williams Resource Center
Recording artist/producer and Virginia Beach native, Pharrell Williams, is partnering with the City of Virginia Beach to build a resource center in Williams Farm Park.
The purpose of the center is to provide an environment conducive to learning and serve as a place to “inspire and educate”. The Center’s programs will seek to change the world of the underserved kids, one kid at a time, by giving them resources and tools to meet their unique potential.
The vision of the center, which is being designed by Oppenheim Architecture and Design, is to modernize the community center concept by empowering kids to learn through new technologies, arts, and media.
The Pharrell Williams Resource Center will collaborate with school districts and serve as a safe place for school-age children in the greater Virginia Beach area. Students will come to the Center after school and during the weekends to receive homework help, participate in mentoring and personal finance programs. Students will utilize the digital music lab and computer lab and engage in the community service projects. School-age children through second year collegiate students in the greater Virginia Beach area are eligible to use the Resource Center’s, well, resources.
The Resource Center is being funded through From One Hand to Another (http://fohta.org/), a charitable foundation established by Williams solely to provide support for the construction and operation of the new Pharrell Williams Resource Center.
The Pharrell Williams Resource Center will be a located on Williams Farm in the Bayside area of Virginia Beach. While it will serve children from around the greater Virginia Beach area, it is conveniently located next to three elementary schools: Diamond Springs Elementary, Newtown Elementary, Betty F. Williams Elementary, and across the street from Bayside Middle School. A Miami based architectural firm is currently developing detailed plans for the Center.
The estimated cost of the PWRC and an endowment for operations and maintenance is $35 million. The projected opening date is 2013.
In spite of his extensive worldwide travel and business commitments, Pharrell remains committed to the Virginia Beach community. Since 2004 he has provided financial support for the Back to School Supplies program and the distribution of Thanksgiving turkeys to residents of the neighborhood in which he grew up. The PWRC will be the crown jewel of his investment in this community. Pharrell provided the original vision for the Center and he will be involved both in the campaign to raise funds for its construction and in the development of its programs.
The PWRC will truly be a community partnership. The City of Virginia Beach has been an enthusiastic supporter of the PWRC from its inception. Community leaders share Pharrell’s goal of educating youth and developing workforce opportunities for all its citizens. The FOHTA Foundation is in the process of identifying and cultivating civic leaders as well as corporate and foundation supporters to encourage their financial support of the Center.
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Bayside, Clear Mag, clear magazine, From One Hand to Another, Oppenheim Architecture & Design, Pharrell Williams, Pharrell Williams Resource Center, VA, Virginia Beach, Williams Farm
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One Comment 
This is raw! I love that this establishment will be a resource center rather than a charity or foundation. When I hear the words foundation/ charity it sounds as though only people in dire need of something can benefit from the services provided by the business. I too am interested in forming a resource center in Oakland, Ca for youth however, I would like people to utilize my resource center that want and need good information. I would love to help and be helped with my project Mr. Williams!