Warsaw Homeless Shelter Granted Zoning ExceptionA permanent place has been found for a homeless shelter in Warsaw.
Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously approved a special exception Monday night to allow a multi-family use in a commercial-zoned district at the former Tri-Namic Printing building, 658 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw.
The special exception will allow for a permanent shelter at the location once funding is obtained and renovations are made to the building.
Board member Rick Keeven made the motion to approve the special exception, and board member Mary Ellen Rudisel-Jordan seconded the motion. Board members Sean Boylan, Tom Allen and Bruce Woodward also voted in favor of the special exception.
The board gave the 27 audience members the opportunity to speak in favor or in opposition to the special exception and no one spoke.
Warsaw City Planner Jeremy Skinner said now that the special exception has been approved, Fellowship Missions will need to apply for a building permit for remodeling and interior work since the use is being changed from a commercial to a multi-family use.
Eric Lane, executive director and founding member of Fellowship Missions, shared a floor plan for the permanent shelter with the board Monday night.
Lane said floor plans for the permanent shelter include separate living quarters for men and women and children, a multi-purpose room, family room, conference room and an area for case managers and counselors.
There also will be kitchen space, outside recreation space, indoor restrooms and a deck for smoking that will not be visible to the public.
Lane said the goal is to house up to 50 people, and the property sits on six acres of land with the opportunity to add on to the facility at a later date if needed.
There will be a parking area for staff and volunteers.
Lane said the group has raised $100,000 for the purchase of the building, and the building cost is approximately $250,000. That amount does not include costs for renovations of the building that will need to be raised.
Lane said the goal is to raise funds for the building, make renovations and serve the community by November or December.
Lane said Fellowship Missions has talked to three organizations about assisting with fundraising, and one group has agreed to lead a capital campaign to raise funds for Fellowship Missions to purchase the Tri-Namic building.
Lane said renovations would need to be made, and Fellowship Missions would need to purchase the building from Mutual Bank.
Fellowship Missions signed a six-month agreement with Warsaw Dec. 15 to rent a home at 337 N. Buffalo St. until May.
The temporary homeless shelter is serving an average of six women per night, and since December has housed six separate children at the shelter.
There also is a transitional home for homeless men on South Buffalo Street that was started in April.
Keeven asked Lane the hours of operation, supervision and application process for the permanent shelter.
Lane said the hours of operation for the permanent shelter will be year-round 24/7 and there will be full-time staff. Lane said there will be a two-page application process for those who stay at the shelter, and they will be required to undergo a breathalyzer and background check.
Keeven said he supported the shelter.
"I am certainly strongly in favor of this program, and it is close to town and in walking distance of the jail when someone gets out and needs a place to stay," Keeven said.
Woodward said he also supported the building.
"I see this as having a lot of pluses. This is a building that has been vacant, and this is an opportunity to clean it up and enhance it," Woodward said.
Woodward suggested to meet state and commercial codes, a sprinkler system would need to be installed in the Tri-Namic building.
"I feel this location would provide green space and provide room for potential growth, and is a good fit for the use, and I have no negative thoughts on it," Woodward said.
