Much like other cities across the nation, Portland, Maine, had seen a significant spike in homelessness in recent years. Exacerbating the problem was an aging, undersized homeless shelter that failed to provide adequate accommodations for the city’s most vulnerable population.

Following years of discussion and debate, the City of Portland commissioned a new Homeless Services Center (HSC) that not only would provide safe, comfortable sleeping quarters, but would also offer wraparound services via an on site clinic, including medical and dental care, as well as substance use and mental health treatment.

DC Riverside LLC — a consortium led by Developers Collaborative President Kevin Bunker and The Boulos Company’s Managing Director Drew Sigfridson — was selected by the city as part of a public-private partnership to build a modern, multifunctional facility that could house and care for over 200 guests. To round out the team, DC Riverside enlisted Winton Scott Architects (WSA) for design services and Cianbro for construction management. Team members from A/Z, a subsidiary of The Cianbro Companies, provided support in various civil, structural, and architectural activities to meet the project’s needs.

The collaborative result is a 208-bed HSC that includes: men’s and women’s dormitories, a commercial kitchen and dining/activity room, locker rooms, showers, laundry facilities, office space for staff and partnering agencies, an outdoor recreation area, and a community garden — in addition to the aforementioned health services. Guests are assigned one bed and one locker with a combination lock while staying at the center.

Nestled on a seven-acre site, the 52,000-square-foot facility consists of a Murox prefabricated metal building that replaces the city’s decrepit Oxford Street Shelter — a converted apartment building and auto garage — where most of the 154 nightly guests slept shoulder-to-shoulder on floor mats. Because it is located about 20 minutes from downtown Portland, the new $24 million HSC provides a shuttle service that runs from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, transporting guests to and from the city.

As the first new construction project built under Portland’s enhanced Green New Deal Ordinance, the facility was designed and constructed with sustainability in mind. A rooftop solar array, double-pane windows, low VOC paints and adhesives, occupancy-controlled lighting, and all-electric heating and cooling systems have combined to reduce the HSC’s carbon footprint. In fact, the energy model showed a 30% improvement over the ASHRAE 2019 standards, helping the building achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The HSC project was structured with a long-term ground lease for $1 with DC Riverside as tenant and the City of Portland as landlord, accompanied by a build-to-suit lease for a 25-year term with DC Riverside as the landlord and the city as tenant. The City of Portland has the right to acquire the building when the 25-year lease concludes.

Thanks to the concerted effort of numerous City of Portland departments, committees, and individuals — as well as DC Riverside, WSA, and Cianbro — over 200 residents without permanent housing now have a clean, safe, and welcoming place to call home each night.

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