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May 2, 2007

The Union Mission announced today the 99 year old Brooke Avenue building that houses the Men's and Women's Shelter's is officially for sale. The Mission plans to move it's facilities to the 24 acre property located at 5100 E. Virginia Beach Blvd. (former home of the Virginia Natural Gas Company) by the first quarter of 2008. Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate will handle the sale of the building, sending out an RFP (Request for Proposal) to over 100 interested developers. The Ministry is renovating what was the Administration building for the Gas Company to become the temporary home for the Men's Shelter. This same building will eventually house Women and Children. A smaller building on the property will temporarily house women and children. The Mission will launch a campaign to raise additional funds to complete the project once the downtown building is sold along with proceeds of other liquidated properties owned by the Mission.

The new 24 acre property will allow the Mission to expand it's services to the poor and homeless. Presently the Mission houses up to 300 people a night with 25-75 men sleeping on the lobby floor for lack of space. The Women's Shelter houses up to 24. Recent trends show the largest growing population of homeless are women and children. The new facility will allow the Women's Shelter to triple it's size, provide Day Care and an outside play area for children. Transitional housing apartments will be available for families and men with children. The Men's shelter, while capacity will not be increased, will provide the additional beds needed for those who presently seek shelter. Additional training programs provide educational opportunities and offices for other service agencies will be part of the new shelter. A new Thrift Store, Community Assistance Center building and Welcome Center will complete the property. In addition the Mission has purchased the old Fire Station on the corner of Monticello Avenue and Virginia Beach Blvd. to use as a "processing center" to provide a place to transport those who cannot get to the new property and a place for people who come late at night to stay until they can be brought to the new property.

The Mission expects to move it's facilities sometime in the first quarter of 2008.

For more information, contact Linda Jones, Public Relations Director for The Union Mission, at (757) 627-8686 or Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate at (757) 640-8700.