At The Collage Companies, some projects stay with you long after the work is complete. The new Quest Kids Academy & Therapy Center in Orlando is one of those projects.
Located at 500 E. Colonial Drive, the newly renovated 16,070 square foot campus was created to support children, teens, and young adults with autism and developmental disabilities through customized education, therapy, life skills development, and employment readiness programs. Today, the facility brings Quest Kids Academy and Quest Kids Therapy together under one roof in a space intentionally designed around the students and families it serves.
Recently, the Collage team had the opportunity to celebrate alongside Quest during the academy’s grand opening event, welcoming families, community partners, supporters, and local leaders into the new space for the very first time. Seeing students explore the classrooms and therapy spaces brought the entire project full circle and served as a meaningful reminder of the impact thoughtful, mission driven construction can have on a community.
For Collage, this project was never simply about renovating a building. It was about helping create an environment where students feel supported, families feel encouraged, and educators and therapists have the tools and spaces needed to do their important work every day.
The journey began when Quest approached Collage while exploring plans for a brand new school facility. As the team evaluated the vision, budget, and long term needs of the organization, Collage helped identify an alternative path that could better serve Quest’s mission. Rather than building from the ground up in a new location, the team explored the possibility of transforming an underutilized Quest-owned building on Colonial Drive into the future home of the academy.
Working closely with Quest and the design team, Collage helped guide the project through a collaborative planning and preconstruction process that balanced thoughtful design, functionality, and budget realities. The result is a completely reimagined facility that feels welcoming, adaptive, and purpose built for the students who walk through its doors.
What makes this project especially meaningful for the Collage team is the mission behind it. We build projects that strengthen the foundation and fabric of our community. For more than 40 years, Collage has partnered with organizations across Central Florida that are deeply invested in serving people and strengthening communities. Quest has spent decades helping individuals with developmental disabilities experience fuller, more independent lives, and it was an honor for our team to help create a space that supports that work in such a tangible way.
“Projects like Quest Kids Academy are especially meaningful because you know the work will have a lasting impact on families throughout our community,” said Rob Maphis, President, The Collage Companies. “It was an honor for our team to help create a space that supports the incredible work Quest is doing for children and young adults with developmental disabilities.”
For the Collage team, projects like Quest Kids Academy reflect the deeper purpose behind the work. It is about helping mission driven organizations create environments that serve people in meaningful ways and support the growing needs of the community for years to come. We are grateful to Quest for trusting Collage to be part of this important project and proud to see this new campus now serving children and families throughout Central Florida.
