Max Adkins Center

The Max Adkins Center was a “vision” that was discussed in early 2009 as Max discussed plans for expansion at DSV. To open the additional resident living units the facility had to add on additional common space and areas to provide supportive services and staff. As Max walked the grounds at DSV he would carefully review all the details of the buildings and systems that make DSV function as a living community. He decided that the best place to create this new living space was adjacent to what was a staff apartment that many years ago was home to a young man named Doug Adkins.

Max loved working on projects and in October 2009, the planning stages were underway for the new building. Max would work the design of the new building with the architect (Randy Rice) and would make modifications and adjustments until we had the design as close to what the vision was we desired for that new space. Max was a consummate utilitarian and loved to see multiple purposes from the same use. The Max Adkins Center was no different, here again Max was hard at work capturing multiple uses in his vision for a working building on the DSV campus.

DSV Contractor Dave Taylor was always a close friend but a talented builder and would work with Max on almost all of the new construction at DSV since 2007. Dave knew what Max wanted and was able to deliver quality workmanship at a fair price. Dave was instrumental in carrying our Max’s vision for new space at DSV.

The new Max Adkins Center serves as a common space for the residents to watch TV on the high definition TV, it also features two resident computers connected to the internet so residents can surf the web and also send e-mail to their families. The facility also includes new staff offices that allow for a comfortable work area that allows supervision of the entire area. The facility is connected to the main server at the main building with a fiber optic cable and also include seven new cameras that increase campus surveillance to a total of 17 cameras. The facility features a person care area and a showering facility to assist those with shower needs. The resident banking hours are hosted in this facility each day and our Christian Life Ministry is held here on Mon and Fri. The facility features a covered front porch area that allows residents to sit outside and enjoy the weather or conversation and it lit with lights at night time. The facility also has a karaoke machine and will be the center for fun and entertainment with karaoke night. The building is harden with state of the art technology to ensure it can serve as a shelter in time when a large windstorm might threaten the facility and residents. The facility also features a backup generator which will allow for uninterrupted power for resident safety and comfort.

Even when Max was beginning his final walk towards his departure he was hard at work in his hospital bed with the architect ( Randy) on conference call with myself and he was telling the physician to wait because he had this meeting underway. Max had a keen eye for details and could often see small and large issues long before others in the room knew there might be a problem. Creating a building was a borderline “art form” for Max and he was careful with each stroke of the master’s brush.