ISSUE : 3
N E W S + U P D AT E S F R O M T H E A R C H I T E C T U R A L T E A M , I N C .
TEAMTIMES
DESIGN FOR SUCCESS
2011
Permanent Supportive Housing Aims to End Homelessness for U.S. Veterans
Rendering by TAT of Valley Brook Village - designed to provide a comfortable and friendly “village-style” setting for U.S. veterans.
M
aking the transition from active duty into mainstream society is not without its share of challenges for many U.S. Veterans— leaving a disproportionate percentage of them homeless.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 26% of all homeless persons are veterans, demonstrating the acute need to provide housing and supportive services. Recognizing this growing concern, Peabody Properties initiated a ground-breaking new project hiring The Architectural Team to lead the design. Valley Brook Village located within the township of Lyons VA Hospital campus under a VA Enhanced Use Lease will provide 62 units of veteran supportive housing and will offer on-site assistance resident services to include outpatient treatment programs and job training. Designed to promote a sense of community in a non-institutional “village-style” setting, Valley Brook will serve as a model for future communities aimed at eliminating homelessness among veterans. Valley Brook Village is expected to be completed for occupancy in early 2013. “It has been proven how effective permanent supportive housing is in ending homelessness for persons with multiple barriers to housing stability,” says Betsy Collins, senior project manager, Peabody Properties. As both developer and service provider for the new development, Peabody will staff and manage on-site counselors to aid veterans with programs such as crisis intervention, employment training, education, physical health care, and community building activities among other beneficial programs. “Collaborating on this important project with Peabody and Windover Construction has given our team a tremendous opportunity to give back to those who have risked their lives serving our country,” says Michael Binette, principal at The Architectural Team. “And supporting our clients’ vision has always been a driving force of our firm’s philosophy.” Developer/Service Provider: Peabody Properties, Inc. Contractor: Windover Construction
@ your FINGERTIPS Log on to our website NEWS section to read a recent article written by managing principal Bob Verrier. Featured in the August issue of Commercial Building Products magazine, “Everything Old is New Again” discusses critical considerations in adapting older buildings for modern needs and earning tax credits in the process.