A collective of women leaders from Chicago area organizations got a “dress rehearsal tour.” Their opinion: It’s show time.
It still looks like a construction site, with visitors wearing hardhats and navigating around mud puddles to get inside the buildings. Plastic sheeting still wraps the door handles and some of the windows.
But in a matter of months, the Women’s Leadership Center of Williams Bay will shake off the trappings of two years of construction and make its public debut. And when it does, it will serve exactly the kind of visitors who participated in a “sneak peek” tour mid-April—a tour designed to showcase the unique features and qualities intended to make the Center a destination.
About 30 representatives of three Chicago-area organizations for women leaders—the International Women’s Forum (IWF), C200, and The Chicago Network (TCN)—rode up to Williams Bay, WI on April 13 for their first look at the Center campus after hearing about it for months. Their visit was significant both for them and the Center, as these leaders and their organizations represent the kind of audiences the Center was designed to serve.
“Women bring special qualities to how they think and collaborate and lead—qualities that can open up possibilities and fresh perspectives on an issue,” says Ann Drake, Chair and President of the Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay. “To tap that potential, we want more settings empowering of women. That’s the mission of the Center—to provide that setting.”
As part of their visit, the women watched a documentary on the creation of the Center and heard Ms. Drake explain how and why she was inspired to bring it into existence. They also toured the Campus buildings inside and out, learning about the unique materials, design process, and architectural motifs that characterize each structure. The Center was designed by award-winning architect and MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang and the creative team at her firm, Studio Gang.
The visitors also asked questions: What was the hardest part of the project? How many people can meet here at once? Tell us about the landscaping. Was anything here before you? Is this just for organizations in the Midwest or can women come here from anywhere? (Answer: Yes! Anywhere.)
Their verdict overall: Thumbs up. On the ride back to Chicago, the conversation circled around when and how to use the Center for their organization. The sneak peek piqued interest.
For the general public, tours of the Center will begin in late June. Ribbon-cutting is tentatively targeted for late summer / early fall.