BOMA Members Are Stepping Up in a Big Way To Help Improve the Only Men’s Shelter in Bellevue

For the past 13 years, BOMA member firms and individuals have contributed time, talent, labor and equipment resources to help support Ryther Child Center and the Downtown Emergency Services Center. In 2017, BOMA was seeking a new community outreach partner to adopt and help and we became aware of a big need at the only men’s shelter operating in Bellevue. The shelter is located in Lincoln Center, a small City of Bellevue owned two-story, older office building, located just east of I-405 in downtown Bellevue.

About the Shelter

The shelter serves nearly 80 men each day and provides overnight shelter from the elements for up to 100 men November to April. It is operated by Congregations for the Homeless (CFH), a non-profit organization supported by a wide cross section of churches from many faiths.The shelter uses about 4,000 SF of ground floor tenant space with no indoor restroom facilities (they use portable toilets) and in recent years, they have had a mobile truck onsite for showers and laundry, but they have lost use of these mobile facilities.   

The City of Bellevue is considering a vote to construct a new permanent and larger shelter in the Eastgate area but this will not come online for some years. Project renovation and TI improvements needed to serve these men were identified at about $450,000 – the bulk of the need being mechanical, electrical and plumbing service and fixtures. The challenge has been that the shelter needs to be renovated in time for the cold weather so the City had to go with a non-bid contract process authorized in law but carried a project cost limit of $350,000. 

What are our BOMA members doing to help?

This is where some really wonderful BOMA member firms stepped up and provided bids at significantly reduced pricing. MacDonald Miller is doing the ducting, venting, HVAC and other mechanical work, SME Electrical is doing the electrical work for the project and American Mechanical is doing the considerable plumbing work to construct indoor bathrooms, showers, laundry, etc. 

All three firms submitted pricing that lowered project costs to just under $350,000. Additionally, McKinstry lead the way and provided at no charge project scoping, drawings, permitting and much more. BOMA has also contributed some community partner reserve funds to help purchase needed equipment but we are still raising funds to help the facility purchase and install a commercial laundry set so they can wash the bedding on site. 

How can you get involved?

Please consider contacting the BOMA office if your firm is able to help with a cash donation – look for more on this soon. 

BOMA’s October lunch meeting will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Bellevue on Monday October 23rd and the program will be about the Men’s Shelter, this project and recognizing our wonderful contributing members mentioned above and others who contribute cash to help us complete the equipment purchases. You can register for the October General Meeting here.