Construction for improvements to homeless shelter services in Bellevue is expected to begin this summer.
At the June 17 extended council study session, the Bellevue City Council received an update on the progress that Congregations for the Homeless has made on its goal to fund building improvements to provide shelter services at Lincoln Center on 116th Avenue Northeast.
David Bowling, executive director for Congregations for the Homeless (CFH), said that with the help of several partners in the Bellevue business community the nonprofit organization has almost reached its funding goal for improvements to the current shelter.
Lincoln Center will receive updates to safety resources, the sprinkler system and sleeping areas to meet city building codes. Additionally, CFH is working with the city for permitting to run shelter services year-round from
The organization has raised more than $638,000 to date to fund the construction, close to its $750,000 goal.
Kevin Wallace of Wallace Properties, and a former city councilmember, has been helping CFH raise funds for the project and coordinate design and construction plans. Wallace thanked the businesses who have donated to support the shelter construction and for all of the pro bono work done for the design and legal work.
At the current rate of fundraising, Wallace expects the building improvements to be completed by Thanksgiving of this year.
“Everything is on track right now to be able to start the work next month — the early demolition work,” he said. “We anticipate starting the main construction work in September which gives us the time we need in order to finish raising the funds. So we need to finish raising the funds by September to maintain this schedule… Assuming we are able to maintain that schedule, and I am very confident we will, it would put us completing construction the week of Thanksgiving.”
Nancy Lacombe, assistant director of the city manager’s office, also noted that the city is continuing to work with CFH on what the operational cost might be for year-round shelter services. The permitting for year-round services at the Lincoln Center location would be necessary as CFH will not be able to move into their new location until that project is complete in 2022.
