To answer the growing challenge of youth and young adult homelessness, YMCA of Greater Seattle joined forces with Nexus Youth and Families to open a new shelter.

The 7,900 SF two-story, wood-frame facility provides comprehensive services including permanent, supportive housing for 15 young adults, emergency shelter for 12 more, a drop-in youth center and behavioral health programming for young people ages 12-24.

Needless-to-say, Abbott Construction was deeply moved to have been a part of this project, to help youths and young adults gain a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment to live in.

A virtual grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on June 16. The Y showed their appreciation of Abbott and Sage Architectural Alliance for successfully completing the project as planned, especially amid a pandemic.

Arcadia welcomed the first residents on May 5, during a much-needed time when the Stay Home, Stay Safe order was mandated.  

A challenge on this project involved trying to avoid costly over-excavation and import of new structural subgrade materials due to poor and marginal on-site soil materials. The Abbott team was able to do this by first selectively removing the existing underlying soils and then having the soils engineer analyze it to see if it was suitable as structural fill. When they found out it was, they replaced the soil in heavily compacted lifts to allow for the subgrade bearing needed to support the building and surrounding site improvements. And because of these efforts, the project saved $100,000 in export/import costs.

Site developments consisted of demolition of an existing 1,200 SF structure, new parking stalls, re-pavement of alley and new fire access lane, site infiltration landscape and sidewalks.

This project was completed under Evergreen Sustainable Development Standards for new construction, which involved comprehensive documentation of all materials, methods, waste stream paths, energy compliance and commissioning methods.

Arcadia was developed by the Y and is operated by Nexus Youth and Families, a non-profit organization that has provided youth homelessness and behavioral health services in Auburn and south King County for over 45 years.