Winner of the 2019 ULI Placemaking Award for Healthy Place
On October 18th, 2019 it was announced that The Urban Land Institute awarded The Washington City Mission’s Crabtree-Kovacicek Veterans House the 2019 ULI Placemaking Award for Healthy Place during the ULI Pittsburgh’s 7th Annual Placemaking Awards for Excellence!
The awards event was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA. During this event, the Crabtree-Kovacicek Veterans House was recognized as the 2019 winner for “Healthy Place”.
ULI Pittsburgh writes about why this project was selected:
“Nello and RSSC finalized construction in 2018 on the Washington City Mission campus improvement project, including 6 separate facilities within the campus. These facilities included a new 3-story veterans shelter named the Crabtree Kovacicek Veterans House. With more detail in the article on the website below, homeless veterans face unique challenges in our society. Veterans are 50% more likely to become homeless than non- veterans, and they tend to experience homelessness longer, on average. Half of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness, including PTSD, and 53% have physical disabilities. Unfortunately, the Veteran’s Administration is only able to reach 20% of veterans in need, so the Patriot House is filling a significant need in our community.
The Washington City Mission consulted local veterans’ groups in the process of creating the programming for the new Patriot House, which is designed specifically to help homeless veterans. Studies show that the most effective programs for homeless veterans are community-based, non- profit, veterans helping veterans’ groups, explained Leah Dietrich, the Director of Residential Programs at City Mission. Patriot House will provide a place where veterans can live together, as they work, grow, and heal together. Nello Construction also had qualified veterans working on the project through all six phases and structures.”
Follow these links to read more about the Veterans House and the Veterans House Residential Facility.
RSSC is very proud to have been involved in this project. By making use of their campus, The Washington City Mission is impacting the local community and achieving their goal of helping each man, woman, mother with children, or veteran who walks through their doors to become a healthy, productive members of society.
