Construction is to start this fall on a $19.5 million expansion of The Center for Veterans Issues (CVI) housing complex on Milwaukee’s Near West Side.
The organization offers housing and wrap-around services for military veterans who struggle with homelessness.
Its complex, Vets Place Central, will gain a 53,000-square-foot rear addition that will expand the number of veterans it can house, provide substantially more private rooms and improve the quality of its service offerings.
“We are beyond excited about the opportunity to improve Vets Place Central for our veterans and community,” said CVI President Eduardo M. Garza, Jr. in a statement.
Urban Milwaukee broke the news of the organization’s prospective plans in January. CVI secured competitively low-income housing tax credits earlier this month to advance the project.
The organization is partnering with The Alexander Company on the development. CVI serves as the property manager for Alexander’s award-winning redevelopment of Old Main at the Soldiers Home complex. That complex can house 101 veterans at risk of homelessness.
“We could not have accomplished this project without our friends at The Alexander Company. Their expertise and leadership were key in guiding us through this process and we can look forward to many more opportunities with them in serving the veteran community,” said Garza, Jr.
A 53,000-square-foot addition will be built at the rear of the Vets Place building, 3300 W. Wells St. The facility currently accommodates 74 veterans by using shared rooms originally designed for single occupancy. The expanded facility will have 81 single-occupancy rooms. Sixty-eight rooms will be for veterans to live in for a transitional period of no more than two years and 13 will be for long-term housing.
This article was originally published by Urban Milwaukee.
