Construction of a new addition to the Southside Community Center is officially underway.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney and outgoing 9th District City Councilman and Council President Michael J. Jones celebrated the new building Tuesday in leading a groundbreaking at 6255 Old Warwick Road.

The city allocated $16 million from the federal American Rescue Act funds it received for the 27,000-square-foot building and also added $6 million in city capital funds in the 2023-24 budget to make it happen.

The building adds on to the existing gymnasium, all that remains after other buildings on the site were cleared away.

One thing that will be missing, as the Free Press previously reported, will bird-safe windows that feature a reduction in glazing and reflectivity.

According to Dr. Kevin J. Vonck, city director of planning, the changes to make the windows bird-safe, such as etching and ceramic fritting, “was cost prohibitive.”

It also would have required removing reflective coating from the windows that “would have degraded the energy efficiency” he stated, based on the standards set by a national rating agency.

However, Charles Woodson, a member of the city’s Urban Design Committee and an advocate for bird-safe windows, said Dr. Vonck has it wrong. None of those changes were needed, Mr. Woodson said.

“The city doesn’t seem to understand,” Mr. Woodson said, “that making new buildings safe for birds only takes an adjustment to the glazing specification, not adding frittering or decals. It would actually have given the building a higher rating” as the rating agency gives extra points for including bird-safe glass.

The city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities is responsible for the development.

Previous work at the center has included the development of a skate park and renovations to the gym and multipurpose rooms.

Mayor Stoney and City Council separately have agreed to build a $7 million child care center on the site if a proposed $562 million casino-resort complex wins voter approval Nov. 7.

The money would come from the $26.5 million that the ownership group would be required to pay to the city if a majority of voters back the project.