Birch Tree Communities marked a major milestone this week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of a newly renovated branch complex in Izard County. The expansion significantly increases activity and office space for the organization’s Oxford program.
The renovated facility, a former school gymnasium located adjacent to the existing program center, had sat vacant for years and required extensive repairs. Design and renovation began in 2025 through a partnership with Sowell Ferris Architects and LiveCo Construction.
The project involved comprehensive updates, including asbestos abatement, removal of animals that had occupied the unused structure, and a complete interior redesign tailored to meet the needs of the Oxford branch.
The newly completed complex now features:
- A full gymnasium
- An expressive arts studio
- An exercise room
- Expanded office space
- A kitchen for events and gatherings
- A maintenance shop
The updated office area provides dedicated workspace for the organization’s chief clinical officer and a psychiatric nurse practitioner who serves Birch Tree’s northern branches.
“This addition to the large Oxford branch will be an amazing area for members to benefit from exercise and therapeutic arts, as well as a space for building connections outside of the program center,” said Todd McGuire, chief operations officer and a licensed professional counselor. “We are extremely proud of the beautiful new complex and what it adds to this branch and the surrounding community.”
The renovation underscores Birch Tree Communities’ ongoing commitment to expanding resources and enhancing services for adults living with serious mental illness that it serves across the state of Arkansas.
