Bellingham’s Lighthouse Mission readies for demolition, preps to add services for unhoused
In its 100th year of service, Lighthouse Mission Ministries will tear down its Holly Street building in early 2023 to rebuild a new facility on the same lot.
The old building served as a shelter and service provider for members of the unhoused community for about 50 years. The new building will double the non-profit’s capacity to house and serve unhoused people.
“This building is over-utilized. We need more space than this can handle, but the lot is under-utilized,” said Hans Erchinger-Davis, president and CEO of Lighthouse Mission Ministries.
Lighthouse Mission Ministries works with about 2,500 unhoused individuals every year, according to Erchinger-Davis.
The organization recognized the need for improved facilities about six years ago when it was unable to take more people in due to capacity constraints.
“People were being turned away left and right,” said Erchinger-Davis.
The chapel floor slept 40 people on a nightly basis. The building slept another 40 people upstairs who were working and saving up for first and last months’ rent. Another room slept 10 people struggling with mental health issues.
The need has become greater over the years to house people, according to Erchinger-Davis.
“When I started at Lighthouse Mission 16 years ago, nobody was sleeping on the chapel floor because there was no need,” Erchinger-Davis said.
The Mission tried to find a new location to expand capacity but was unsuccessful. Then, when the pandemic hit, the non-profit took an opportunity to move into an empty building downtown at 1520 Cornwall Ave. under an emergency permit.
That operation, known as Base Camp, allowed the Mission to expand capacity temporarily to serve 200 people on a nightly basis. Though, their operating permit only lasts four years.
So, after two years of Base Camp operation, the Mission has plans to demolish its 910 Holly St. building and rebuild a new facility before its permit expires.
Upcoming changes
The new facility will be five stories, two more than the current building.
It will expand the Mission’s current services and be able to shelter up to 400 people — 300 daily with 100 overflow spaces available during severe weather events.
“That means nobody is going to be turned away due to capacity constraints,” Erchinger-Davis said.
The building is expected to include separate areas called micro shelters on the top floor. They’ll be designed to serve specific sub-populations such as seniors, medically fragile people or those dealing with mental health issues.
The facility will also have three in-house businesses so people who graduate from the Mission’s recovery program can be guaranteed jobs.
The non-profit is in the process of drawing up a business plan for what those jobs will look like.
“My favorite idea — anyone can bring their bicycle here and get it electrified. Our people will put it together for you,” Erchinger-Davis said.
The price tag for the new facility is $23 million. More than half of that is already funded by local community donations. Lighthouse Mission Ministries is actively campaigning for the remaining funding through events and personal meetings. The organization’s foundation is also helping support the project.
The project is expected to be complete in 2024 with doors opening by July of that same year.
