Of the 4 Shelter Types: Emergency, Transitional, Rapid Rehousing and Permanent Supportive, this vital stepping stone is essential as the county estimates that about 70 percent of the emergency shelter beds have been reserved for families or single and pregnant women.
The goals of Bridges at Kraemer Place, and its programs, include support to help reduce the number of persons who experience homelessness in our community and increase access to housing opportunities for chronically homeless individuals.
This facility houses 200, with an emphasis on single adults, and will be staffed 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and will be managed by Mercy House, a leading nonprofit organization that provides services for those experiencing homelessness. Unlike other emergency shelters, this one will house men and women for between 60-90 days, with a reservation. The Shelter’s primary focus is assisting program participants with creating a housing plan, making connections to housing resources and ending their homelessness as soon as possible.
WD planned and designed the existing industrial concrete tilt-up structure and it’s 1.87 acre site into a 24,000 square foot multi-functional facility, which features ample locker, shower and restroom facilities; an on-site comprehensive medical clinic with nurse’s station, lab, pharmacy and exam rooms; a commercial kitchen; separate men’s and women’s sleeping quarters, a dining hall, laundry room, computer lab, storage, administration suite, and flexible, multi-purpose rooms for daytime program activities, including supportive services, employment and job placement referrals and Life Skills classes & workshops, as well as indoor and outdoor recreation activities.
Orange County Assemblywoman, Sharon Quirk-Silva [District #65], secured an additional $5 Million from the 2018-2019 State Budget’s Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund to expand support services at Bridges at Kraemer Place observing that this is a “sensible step in the right direction, with its support from local government, law enforcement and the community”. She added that “it is not the time to turn our backs on some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Supporting a proven successful shelter, already in operation, is the logical first approach to confront the complicated issue of homelessness....and will “ease the burden put on our neighborhood streets in times of crisis”.
Westgroup Designs continues our commitment to Social Responsibility, working to enhance our Community and the people it serves, every day. Learn more about WD’s local community support here.
Passionate about both wellness and design, our WD team eagerly looks forward to the time in October when we can Do Good for our community as we creatively promote Breast Cancer Awareness and contribute to research efforts through our staff and firm’s annual events. Participating in our 5th Annual Wine & Design, an event in collaboration with A Common Thread for the Cure, a nonprofit organization that supports breast cancer patients and survivors, we, along with other local architecture & design firms, are invited to design 2 wine labels, a white and a red variety, for a selected winery who will produce the wine and donate profits from these special bottles to the non-profit organization.
This year, the inspirational theme provided was “With Spirit and Grace”. Our design team’s approach was to beautifully interpret the concept in two directions. The first, Bordeaux Blend, reflects a spark that ignites hope; finding the spirit within yourself, to move with grace through any adversity that is brought your way. The second label, for the Grenache Blanc, represents Unity. Every person, regardless of condition, appearance, story or challenges, are united; stronger together, through whatever cards one is dealt.
We are proud to continue partnering with this organization and lending a voice to the great work they are doing. Thanks to our Sponsors, Tangram and Milliken, for their support throughout the entire Wine & Design event!
We are also delighted to support Susan G. Komen For The Cure, through our internal Wellness Challenges. The winning team of our workout challenge gets to send a donation in their name to this organization which has the capacity to support patients through all stages: the awareness, early detection, treatment, and care for those affected by breast cancer.
Enriching the community is part of our focus each day - with our staff, clients and industry partners- through volunteering and competitions like this which make a difference in the way our clients live, work, play and heal.
The battle of the two teams, WD Aqua + WD Fireballs, was just as close as the last round, inspiring enthusiasm each week through exciting mini challenges. This round of the wellness challenge was all about making small changes. Changing just one bad habit and reinforcing great ones can make all the difference in us and our surroundings! Staff was given weekly tasks that vary in difficulty- from drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day, going on a hike, or doing something kind for a stranger. These tasks challenged the participants to explore new ways to improve themselves, and inspired teamwork and comradery in the office!
This time Team Aqua was crowned victorious, receiving a donation for a charity that is important to them: The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
“Having the winning team choose the charity that will receive a donation is incredibly uplifting. People are inspired to work that much harder to meet their wellness challenge goals. It boosts positive energy- Everyone is in it to win it!" Sima Hassani, Principal
Enriching the community is part of what we focus on each day with our staff, clients and industry partners- through volunteering and competitions like this, to focusing on even the smallest details in each project, which make a difference in the way our clients live, work, play and heal.
They say all good things come in three’s, so keep checking in to see what we have coming up next!
“It’ll breathe a breath of fresh air onto the campus and into the community,” said Superintendent Dr. Adrian Palazuelos, and will allow the District “…the ability to realize the dream of creating the facility that our students deserve.”
As part of Fillmore USD’s facilities improvement efforts at Fillmore High School, Westgroup Designs is overhauling the campus electrical infrastructure to support future projects, such as a new Gymnasium, Performing Arts Center, and Administration, as well as modernization of existing classrooms.
In addition to work with Fillmore USD, Westgroup Designs is currently finishing construction of two High School campuses for Garden Grove USD that was made possible by $40 million of State AB 300 seismic replacement funds WD’s fast-track design solution secured. The construction is more than 50% complete, with the work phased to allow the campus to remain open without the need of interim housing.
See the District’s full press release here.
The healthy competition pitted the WD Fireballs against the WD Aquaholics, names referenced from our brand color palette, while each team focused on selecting their specific charity. The two teams completed a Fit-Bit Walking Challenge, Daily movement team workout challenge and nutrition challenge events among other activities, for a 6-week period and received points based upon involvement in activities and making healthier choices! It was a close match, with teams ‘neck and neck’ to the finish line! In the end, it was Team WD Fireballs who finished on top and won a donation to the charity of their choice: CHOC, Children’s Hospital of Orange County!
Westgroup staff had fun encouraging each other to meet individual and team goals, all in the name of wellness and wonderful causes to fight for! Bettering the community is part of what we focus on each day with our staff, clients and industry partners- through helping hands, volunteering, and competitions like this, to the details in each project, which make a difference in the way our clients live, work, play and heal. Stay tuned for updates on our next challenge!
Children’s Hospital of Orange County ensures the health and well-being of children and their families living in Orange County. As a non-profit hospital, CHOC relies on community support to provide leading-edge care for infants, children and adolescents. You can visit https://www.choc.org/ to learn more.
As part of our typical design process, beginning with space planning, we work in 3D- in real space, in real time. Here is a sample of one of our recent projects, developed with our 3D modeling technology! This digital experience, customized to satisfy the viewer’s curiosity for detail, reveals the ultimate potential of the space, enhancing the understanding of the space’s look, feel and function.
Whether designers or end users of great space, we are all visual people…and delight in being given this opportunity to see beyond what mere drawings can tell us. Utilizing tools like this on every project not only expedites the design process, saving time, but is an invaluable tool for collaboration and communication, from early conceptual modeling to the final construction documentation.
We invite you to immerse yourself in the early phase of the design process with us….Step inside and enjoy the experience!