Update: The Gardner Library Bridge Housing Facility

A year in the making, the Gardner Library Bridge Housing Facility is finally coming together. In case you missed it, we’ve been working on this project with the City of LA for the last year in an effort to help women transitioning out of homelessness. Located in Hollywood, the women’s shelter is slated to open mid-September. Get more details about the project here. ↓

The building’s construction was completed at the beginning of August with the exterior of the historic library preserved while the interior almost completely renovated. Prior to furnishing the space, our team tackled the 70-foot-long garden, planting a variety of plants and flowers, from citrus trees and roses to lavender, succulents, and herbs. A couple of weeks ago, we filled a U-Haul with art from ARCHIV-E, as well as new and donated furniture from MidcenturyLA and Interior Define to begin the process of making the facility feel more like home. ↓

The doors will open this month to provide 30 women with a temporary home, counseling, and services, providing a pathway to more permanent housing and stability. As we near completion on this project, we want to thank all the people who participated in rounding up at the stores, donated to the project’s GoFundMe, sent items from the Amazon wish list, and dropped off unused makeup and books to our LA store. If you’d still like to get involved, head to our GoFundMe page. Every little bit makes a difference. We appreciate your support and will continue to provide updates once the shelter opens. •

The preserved bookshelves from the library were restored and incorporated into the shelter.