"The Center is a place to chill," one student says. "It's a good place to meet with friends, since not everybody is nearby."
Platt has been director of the center since January.
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It has a game room, dance studio, full kitchen and computer lab.
"It's a center serving kids age nine to 19," he says. "The focus is on Area 4 but we accept members from any part of the city."
From 2 to 6 p.m., the center runs programs for middle schoolers, and from 5 until 8:30 p.m. there are programs for teens.
Last Monday's schedule of events ran the gamut from arts and crafts to homework, computer training and sports leagues.
"Lots of students walk to the center," Platt says. "It's a cross-section of the neighborhood."