Fayetteville City Council has decided to contract with IBI Group to design a homeless day center in a former music venue in a warehouse structure.
The project will be at 128 King St, near the intersection of Person Street and South Eastern Boulevard. IBI designed Oak City Cares, the model for Fayetteville’s center, The Fayetteville Observer has reported.
Chris Cauley, the city’s director of economic and community development, said construction bids should be returned in early 2022. He anticipated the renovations would take 12 months to complete.
Most of the center’s approximately $4 million in funding (covering land, construction, design and equipment) is coming from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The day center will also function as an emergency shelter when needed.
The site is a 12,800-sq. ft. warehouse constructed 2006 and valued at more than $645,000, according to a Cumberland County property records.
Similar to Raleigh’s center, preliminary plans for Fayetteville’s day center include shower and laundry facilities, as well as a warming kitchen and offices. Also included in plans so far is an area for people to use computers and charge their devices.
Cauley said that, in addition to improvements on the interior, windows will also be added to the front of the building and the city plans to redo the parking lot and add landscaping.
The Observer reported that Cauley said Cliff Isaacs, the city’s director of construction management, will work with the architect to finalize a full design then put out construction bids. The next action by City Council will be to award the bid, Cauley said.