Company:
City of Anaheim
Status:
Awarded
Awarded:
Community Improvement Project of the Year
Additional Files
Fact Sheet for the Project
News Article about the Project


Additional Information

La Mesa Emergency Shelter

Project Location:

3035 La Mesa Street, Anaheim, CA 92806

Project Description:

The La Mesa Emergency Shelter project is a retrofit of an existing 12,000 sf former piano store to a 102 bed homeless shelter. The scope of work included a full interior remodel consisting of living spaces for men, women, and families. The project included a kitchen, dining room, restrooms, showers, common areas, utility improvements, structural modifications, and facilities for up to 30 operating staff. In addition, a 10,000 sf outdoor recreational area was constructed including dog kennels, storage, patio areas, and surrounding street and drainage improvements.

Project Justification:

In December 2018, Anaheim City Council approved the purchase of the former piano store and tasked Anaheim’s Public Works Department to design and construct improvements for conversion of the building into a homeless shelter. Council approved a not-to-exceed budget of $2,000,000.

The urgent nature of this project presented a unique challenge. To deliver the project quickly and prudently, a design-build contract was procured with a cost-plus-fee payment method and an overall duration of just 6 weeks. To ensure success under such constraints, tightly-knit and constant coordination was required between the design-build team, facility operators, Public Works, Public Utilities, and Planning & Building Departments to ensure the facility met the needs of the operator and met each department’s standards. Innovative design features included a repurposing of street right-of-way for the recreational area. Construction was completed on time, within budget, and with minimal impact to surrounding uses on February 22, 2019.

Special Circumstances:

Homelessness is a growing challenge for cities in California. This shelter is one of many measures Anaheim has taken to do its part in addressing the crisis.
The shelter helps those experiencing homelessness by providing a temporary living space for up to 102 people. In addition to the amenities listed in the project description, the City has partnered with non-profit Illumination Foundation to staff the shelter with counselors, therapists, and case managers to aid those affected by homelessness on their path to housing. City staff and its non-profit partners encourage those affected by homelessness to make use of the City shelter and services.
City staff and non-profit partners continue to reach out to those affected by homelessness to encourage the use of City shelters and services. In addition to those experiencing homelessness, the crisis also impacts residents, parks, trails, and places of business. Construction of shelters such as this one help to alleviate the negative impacts of homelessness on all of Anaheim’s residents.
The project was recently awarded APWA’s 2019 Building Project of the Year.

Project Attachments:

Attached are other photos of the site, a news article about the project, and the project fact sheet.

Award Citation::

The La Mesa Emergency Shelter project revamps an existing commercial building and its surrounding site into a 102 bed homeless shelter, complete with living space, kitchen, dining room, restrooms, outdoor recreational areas, and facilities for operating staff and counselors to uplift individuals that have been affected by homelessness.

Suggested Award Summary:

The La Mesa Emergency Shelter project is a retrofit of an existing 12,000 sf former piano store to a 102 bed homeless shelter. The scope of work included a full interior remodel consisting of living spaces for men, women, and families. The project included a kitchen, dining room, restrooms, showers, common areas, utility improvements, structural modifications, and facilities for up to 30 operating staff. In addition, a 10,000 sf outdoor recreational area was constructed, including dog kennels, storage, patio areas, and surrounding street and drainage improvements.
Anaheim City Council approved the purchase of this building and tasked Anaheim’s Public Works Department to design and construct the retrofit of the existing commercial building and its surrounding area into a homeless shelter with a budget of $2,000,000. This project was unique in that it was quickly yet prudently delivered through a design-build contract with a cost-plus-fee payment method and an overall duration of just 6 weeks. The team successfully delivered the project under unique constraints through tightly-knit and constant coordination between the design-build team, facility operators, Public Works, Public Utilities, and Planning & Building Departments to ensure the facility met the needs of the operator and met each department’s standards.
In addition to the project amenities above, the City has partnered with non-profit Illumination Foundation to staff the shelter with counselors, therapists, and case managers to aid those affected by homelessness on their path to housing. City staff and non-profit partners continue to reach out to those affected by homelessness to encourage the use of City shelters and services. In addition to those experiencing homelessness, the crisis also impacts residents, parks, trails, and places of business. Construction of shelters such as this one help to alleviate the negative impacts of homelessness on all of Anaheim’s residents.

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