84 homeless people suffering from mental illness and other disabilities will soon have a place to call home thanks to Plymouth Housing Group’s newest building project, A.L. Humphrey House, located on the corner of 1st and Cedar in Belltown.

The new building is named in honor of A.L. Humphrey, father of Cindy Brettler. Mr. Humphrey passed away in 2008. Cindy and her husband, Dan Brettler, CEO of Car Toys, are long-time Plymouth supporters and active community advocates for ending homelessness. The Brettler Family Foundation has made a major gift in support of the project.

“We are very excited to be breaking ground on a new residential building, especially in these tough times,” commented Plymouth Housing Group Executive Director, Paul Lambros. “By partnering with many local groups, including the City of Seattle, King County and several local foundations, Plymouth continues to actively work towards fulfilling the promise of the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County.”

Humphrey House Groundbreaking Crew on Thursday, May 16: (L to R) Mike Romine, SMR Architects; Dan Brettler; Cindy Brettler; King County Councilman Dow Constantine; Chuck Weinstock, JPMorgan Chase; Jennifer Ernst, Federal Home Loan Bank; Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels; Plymouth Executive Director Paul Lambros; Harold Gilkey, Sterling Savings Bank; Jackie McLean, King County.

A.L. Humphrey House, partially funded by the 2002-09 Seattle Housing Levy, will be an attractive, modern apartment building containing 84 single-unit studio apartments, each equipped with a full kitchen and bath. The building will include 24-hour staffing and a manager’s office at the main entry, three social service staff offices, a resident lounge and a computer room. The first floor will contain 2,100 square feet of commercial space, which will be rented out to high-end retail clients, the proceeds from which will support Plymouth's on-going operational costs.

The design for the First & Cedar project features a number of green elements, including energy-efficient lighting fixtures throughout the building, high efficiency gas fired hydronic heating system with individual thermostats, drought tolerant sidewalk landscaping to promote pleasant pedestrian environment, “Energy Star” rated kitchen and laundry appliances, and low wattage down-lighting at alley exterior to increase safety and minimize light pollution. The building was designed by SMR Architects and meets the State of Washington Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard. The general contractor is MarPac Construction.

When the residence opens in the fall of 2010, it will provide supportive housing for formerly homeless people suffering from mental illness as well as other disabilities such as HIV/AIDs, chemical dependency, and severe medical conditions. Plymouth will partner with a number of local agencies and funders to identify those with the most complex needs and help them move off the streets and into a safe and stable environment.

To help residents make a smooth transition from homelessness to permanent housing, Plymouth offers on-site “wrap around” support services such as one-on-one case management, mental health counseling, nursing services, employment counseling, and other opportunities to improve their lives. This apartment building will be Plymouth’s 12th building in the downtown core serving formerly homeless and very low-income residents.

Plymouth is very grateful for the many funding partners who have supported this project including the Brettler Family Foundation, the Neukom Family Foundation, the Norcliffe Foundation, the Raikes Family Foundation, and the Seattle Foundation. Other funders include City of Seattle Office of Housing, State of Washington Housing Trust Fund, King County Department of Community and Human Services, Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Sterling Bank, National Equity Fund, and Washington State Housing Finance Commission.