Alexander Leigh Center for Autism (ALCA) helps children and adolescents on the autism spectrum learn in a safe, supportive, and caring environment. The non-profit school partnered with Bespoke to find a new campus in McHenry County that would:

• Expand its space from 15,000 to 30,000 square feet
• Be close to its current location
• Meet its budget limitations

ALCA has experienced ongoing growth since opening in 2004. The school needed a bigger For Non-Profit Autism School, Bespoke Finds a “Forever Home”facility with room to expand its specialized programs. Because McHenry County is in a rural area with limited real estate options, Bespoke had to think outside the box when evaluating potential properties, determining whether they could be adapted to meet ALCA’s specific needs.

Bespoke secured a facility within 3.5 miles of the original school, featuring a three-story, 41,000-square foot building within a spacious campus setting. The new property surpassed ALCA’s space requirements, yet Bespoke negotiated a deal considerably lower than the listing price, and kept interior modification expenses and fixed occupancy costs well below the school’s budget.

“Working with the team at Bespoke was a perfect fit for us,” said Kelly Weaver, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Alexander Leigh Center for Autism. “From our initial conversations through closing and beyond, they have been committed to our project. The level of guidance, resources, accessibility, and engagement of Bill and the team greatly exceeded our expectations.”

Bespoke leveraged connections with general contractors, lending institutions, and brokerage professionals to finalize a transaction resulting in significant savings for ALCA.

“Bespoke’s understanding of the non-public school income structure, and the needs of our special population is unlike any other firm and allowed us to target specific properties that made sense specifically for our school,” said Weaver. “The Bespoke experience was so much more than buying a property; it was a partnership in finding our forever home.”

Read the full ALCA case study here.