The aging homeless shelter in Greenville is being replaced. The new shelter will be located behind the existing facility and will be completed in summer 2015.
A small fire was reported at the Greenville homeless shelter early Friday morning. Residents were evacuated and one person was sent to the hospital. According to WITN, crews are still working to determine the cause of the fire. The blaze happens the same week as plans were announced to open a new homeless shelter. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday. Executive Director Bob Williams says the current shelter was built in 1953 and needs to be replaced.
“Obviously, a building that old it just isn’t structurally adequate anymore, there are leaks in the roof that we are repairing weekly, and maintenance issues that we’re taking care of on a weekly basis. So it’s just not a functional building anymore.”
Williams says they are currently at maximum capacity, with only 74 beds. The new facility will be able to accommodate 110 people.
“We’ve incorporated four family rooms into the new shelter, so that families can stay together. Residence will have a men side, women side on the other area. A very large dining hall, a commercial kitchen and a lounge area where they can kind of hangout and do whatever they want in the evening.”
The funds raised for the $2.2 million facility came from grants and donations from local members of the community. The new shelter, which will be located behind the current shelter, is expected to be operational by summer of 2015.