The Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley broke ground June 25 on a 6,000-square-foot expansion at its Kingston Branch in Fountain Valley.
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The project will create a permanent home for the organization’s ClubHouse Academy Performing Arts programs. The new wing of will feature spaces for theater, dance, martial arts and gymnastics, something the club says more of its young members are seeking.
“Our performing arts programs have grown tremendously over the past few years,” said Art Groeneveld, BGCHV chief executive officer. “Throughout that growth, our focus has remained the same: creating a space where children feel safe, feel cared for, and grow into incredible leaders. This expansion allows us to continue building on that vision for generations to come.”
The organization, which includes Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley branches, said the expansion was made possible thanks to contributions from community members and Kingston Technology and The Mayer Family Foundation, each of which gave $500,000.
BGCHV has raised more than $3.1 million of the $5.9 million needed to fully fund the project. For more information about the Chasing Dreams CapitalCampaign or to contribute, go to ChasingDreamsOC.com
24 Hour Fitness tones up in Orange
24 Hour Fitness celebrated the grand reopening of its remodeled Orange Super Sport club on Saturday, July 11 at the Village at Orange shopping center.
The remodel added a zone called Recovery24, which offers members access to amenities including Hyperice Normatec compression therapy and Human Touch massage chairs, plus the Reformer24, a Pilates studio.
The redesign also changed up the fitness floor overall.
The gym occupies part of the former Sears building at the retail center, which for decades was a mall. In early 2025, the mall owner demolished the interior and back buildings to make way for a possible housing community. So far, those plans remain in limbo.
Music & Dance school expanding
Orange County Music & Dance, an after-school performing arts school for students in pre-K through 12th grade, has bought a second campus in Irvine ahead of its anticipated November opening.
NAI Capital Commercial represented OCMD in the $10.8 million acquisition at 17872 Cowan.
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The 25,000-square-foot Cowan Campus, just a scant minute from OCMD’s existing Fitch Campus near the 55 and 405 freeways, will double the school’s total instructional space to 50,000 square feet and increase enrollment capacity by 400 students.
The expansion will add five dance and rehearsal studios, 10 smaller teaching studios, six music rehearsal rooms, a keyboard lab, and an advanced music production studio. The expansion comes with new programming, too, which will feature early childhood music and dance, pre-conservatory and conservatory tracks for grades 6 through 12, a world music and global sounds program, and adult education offerings.
Families Forward taps CEO
Christy Cornwall is the new chief executive officer at Families Forward in Irvine, succeeding Madelynn Hirneise who stepped down in May.
Cornwall landed the promotion after serving as the nonprofit’s chief program officer. The organization said she quickly “earned the confidence of the board of directors through her collaborative leadership, strategic vision and deep commitment to preventing family homelessness.”
With more than 25 years of experience, Cornwall’s career has been focused on health equity, housing stability and cross-sector partnerships. She previously worked in leadership roles at Providence St. Joseph Health and the city of Irvine, where she led initiatives addressing community health, mental health and housing challenges.
“Christy distinguished herself throughout a highly competitive search as the leader best positioned to build on Families Forward’s remarkable legacy while guiding the organization into its next chapter,” said Danyell Alders, chair of the Search Committee. “She brings a unique combination of strategic leadership, operational excellence, community relationships and a deep understanding of the connection between stable housing and long-term health and well-being. Just as importantly, she embodies the collaborative, mission-driven culture that makes Families Forward so impactful.”
Cornwall will focus on expanding partnerships across Orange County, advancing its advocacy strategy, guide the construction of Tustin Heritage, an 8-unit affordable housing community, oversee implementation of the organization’s current strategic plan and more.
Milestones
InnoCaption in Irvine hit a new milestone, surpassing 30 million captioned phone calls, 10 years after launching its flagship call-captioning app. The company’s service helps hundreds of thousands of Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals communicate. Innocaption is working with a population that includes at least 50 million Americans experiencing some degree of hearing loss. InnoCaption said it’s working to help ensure that accessibility evolves alongside new phone and video technologies “by delivering mobile-first solutions that remove barriers to connection.” The company also acquired CaptionMate, a call-captioning app that offers captions in 100 languages.
Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to [email protected]. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
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