GiGi’s Playhouse

After a devastating fire, GiGi’s Playhouse has rebuilt better than ever.

May 11, 2021 began just like any other day for Heather Lorenzen, Executive Director of GiGi’s Playhouse in Fargo. But the moment she caught a whiff of smoke coming from inside the building, that unmemorable day became one she would never forget. 

“I ran out of the building, and within 10 minutes of seeing that first puff of smoke, the roof had collapsed,” Lorenzen said. “I watched as, in a matter of minutes, everything that our families had worked so hard for burned.”

GiGi’s Playhouse is an international organization with a mission to change the way the world views Down syndrome and promote global acceptance for all. The fire leveled the organization’s Fargo building, destroying everything inside.

For GiGi’s Playhouse, losing a brick-and-mortar location meant more than just losing a building; it meant losing a second home and safe haven for many families. But where others saw only devastation, Lorenzen saw opportunity. With support from InterOffice, GiGi’s Playhouse has been able to rise from the ashes and rebuild better than ever.

“It’s the most comfortable chair you’ll ever sit in,” Lorenzen said. “This chair provides you that opportunity to feel comfortable when you’re already nervous walking into somewhere new.”

Some of the chairs come with an additional, unexpected benefit. Since many folks with Down syndrome have low muscle tone, GiGi’s Playhouse selected the Spun Chair by MillerKnoll to help activate muscles in a fun and exciting way–and not just for kids. 

“It’s an ab workout!” Lorenzen said, laughing. 

Another new feature with hidden benefits is the GEMiNO+ Market and Shop Loft by Gressco. It’s a two-level playset that allows users to climb up and down the stairs from the ground level to the loft. 

“We work on gross motor skills, including coordination and balance. Those stairs are just another touch point to practice that,” says Lorenzen. “There’s a learning life skill to everything that was put in here, including the furniture.” 

Instead of a central island in the kitchen, the Playhouse has electric height adjustable tables that can be raised and lowered to accommodate people of all heights. The bathroom toilets have a variety of flushers so that users can practice with a traditional handle like they’d find at home, or a motion-sensor flush that they’d encounter at a supermarket. 

Sometimes, though, even the most welcoming space can pose a challenge. For folks with sensory issues, the bright new space full of excited people can be overwhelming. The LeanTo lounge by OFS was originally placed in the hallway to serve as a reading space. But with built-in walls and cozy padded seats, theLeanTo provided a safe space for sensory-affected folks when the opening events hit them especially hard.

“It’s kind of like a little cave. It took away some of that additional noise and some of the anxiety of being in a new space,” Lorenzen said. 

From ashes to abundance, GiGi’s Playhouse’s journey has been a hard one–and hard won. It has also been a reminder to Lorenzen of the value that the organization brings to the community; more than 4000 donors who donated at least once to the rebuilding efforts.

“It’s empowering,” Lorenzen said. “It shows me that our place was missed, our families needed us, and that we’re back.”

And now, more than 18 months after the fire, GiGi’s Playhouse is in the process of opening back up to the community, one program at a time. While they are only offering 14 of their 22 programs at this time, Lorenzen is hopeful that GiGi’s Playhouse will soon be able to provide all of that–and more. 

“It’s a place of possibilities,” she said. “It really is taking a dream and turning it into a reality.”