Bob & Pat Schmidt Community Center

TESSERE worked with Grow Hays to design the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center, a $5 million, 14,000-square-foot facility in Hays, Kansas.

Designed to serve as a multigenerational hub, the center addresses key community needs in childcare, senior services, and public gathering space. Located near the intersection of 27th and Canterbury, the facility houses a licensed childcare center operated by Bright Minds Academy with 80 new slots. It also provided a new home for the Hays Senior Center, featuring a three-season room adjacent to the playground to encourage intergenerational connection. Additional amenities include community rooms for public use and a storm shelter serving both the facility and the surrounding Grove housing development.

Funded by a $3.5 million grant from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, along with contributions from the Robert and Patricia Schmidt Foundation, HaysMed (land donation), the City of Hays, and Ellis County, the project broke ground in July 2024 and was completed in August 2025.

Anchoring The Grove, a retiree-focused housing development near HaysMed, the center helped to strengthen community connections while providing critical support services for residents of all ages.