City plans homeless shelter in Vista

Columbia is building a temporary homeless shelter in an area where developers -- and the city itself -- are working to redevelop and attract new residents.

While the city hasn't officially announced the location for the shelter, residents and others say the city will erect it on city-owned property at Calhoun and Roberts streets near the city's water-treatment plant, Riverfront Park and new residential projects, including CanalSide.

Mayor Bob Coble on Tuesday confirmed the city's plan to build two 7,000-square-foot buildings where homeless women and men can spend the night when temperatures drop below freezing. City crews are clearing the wooded, 1-acre site, which will have a capacity of 220 people and will open in November.

Construction will require approval by city staff, but won't require a city council or city board vote, Coble said.

"No one wants a homeless shelter near their home, in their neighborhood," Coble said. "One of the reasons we chose this site is you're not going to find a site with fewer neighbors. And it's temporary, so the property-value problems and the other long-term problems won't be issues."A homeless shelter will strike a strong contrast to nearby Canal- Side, a 25-acre neighborhood where condos, town homes and single-family homes are under construction. Condos and town homes range from $180,000 to $470,000.

Efforts Tuesday to reach Dan Doyle, CanalSide project manager, were unsuccessful.

Cliff Spann, president of the nearby Arsenal Hill Neighborhood Association, said he doesn't think it's fair.

"We've done our fair share as far as having affordable housing and subsidized housing built in our neighborhood," Spann said. "Now this? The homeless will be leaving the shelter in the morning and coming right up into Arsenal Hill."

They also may cut through The Battery at Arsenal Hill, a neighborhood under construction on the other side of Huger Street.

Developer Brian Boyer, who is running for City Council, said he's less worried about the shelter's impact on the sale of his units than the effect on existing residents.

"All of these neighbors had to hear about this through the rumor mill," Boyer said. "That shouldn't happen."

The site will be used as a homeless shelter this winter and possibly next winter, Coble said. After that, it will become a logistics site where fire-department gear, such as generators and spare fire trucks, will be housed.

"A logistics space has been a big need for a long time," said Steve Gantt, senior assistant city manager, who estimates the building will cost between $400,000 and $500,000.

Several say the location doesn't jibe with the long-range plan to develop the riverfront.

"The idea is to create a downtown riverfront community down there, in-fill housing on the river," said Mike Dawson, director of the River Alliance, which helps guide development along the city's rivers. "This (homeless shelter) runs counter to that marketing idea."

Coble stresses the shelter is temporary and there is no access to the river or the greenway from the property.

"Every part of town is being redeveloped and could have said the same thing. This is a temporary site and, like the Vista site last year, cannot have any long-term impact on development."

Coble is referring to the city's two winter shelters last year, one in an old fire station in the Vista.

Ever since the city lost its lease on its winter shelter on Hampton Street, it has used buildings in different parts of the city as winter shelters.

The new winter shelter will be run similarly to those last year, including having security officers stationed inside and outside of the shelter.

Meanwhile, John Scollon, director of the Columbia Marionette Theater and Puppetry Centre, which is near the site, said he is reserving judgment.

"My main concern is how the parents will react," Scollon said.

Performances at his center attract between 100 and 200 children and parents each Saturday. "Other than that, I'm OK with it. It has to go somewhere."

------------------------------------------------------------

Reach Smith at (803) 771-8462.