Construction has begun on Weingart Tower a new ‘first-class’ high-rise housing project to cater to the homeless in Skid Row, Los Angeles. The 19-story complex has been designed to reshape one of the corners of the skid row to one of a more well-to-do environment. Weingart Tower will contain 278-units and will replace a parking lot around the corner from the Weingart Center, at 555 S. Crocker St. GFA/AXISArchitecture + Design is the project architect. The first stage of the project will eventually comprise 382 units. This will dwarf the existing Weingart facility in the 11-story former El Rey Hotel, which is already more than twice as tall as any other building around it.
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Project officials have announced that the Weingart Tower building is expected to be opened in December 2023. The US$160 million first phase will include 47 one-bedroom units, 3 units for the managers, and 228 studio units. All these will be coupled to supportive services including case management, client plan development, medical and mental health treatment services, group meetings, and a meals program. Proposition HHH contributed US$32 million, the US$1.2 billion bond measure approved by California voters five years ago. Other funding for the Los Angeles high-rise was obtained from several state programs, tax equity invested by the Richman Group, and Pacific Western Bank.
“One of the things we asked the architect is we don’t want it to look like a housing project. What we would like is for it to look like one of these other first-class downtown apartments. We love seeing downtown revitalized over the last two decades, you shouldn’t have to be rich to enjoy it, you shouldn’t have had a lucky life to enjoy that,” said Weingart Chief Executive Kevin Murray who is a former state senator. “Weingart Tower 1 is a fulfillment of the promise we made to our unhoused neighbors to provide more places that they can call home,” said Mark Ridley-Thomas, a councilman.