The City of Phoenix is in the process of reconverting a building that once housed an Enterprise Rent-A-Car outlet into a cooling center for those who are homeless.
Located at the intersection of N. 28th Street and E. Washington Avenue, the one-story building was built in 1967 and measures around 8,600 square feet. It houses, besides office space, a storage room, kitchen, and conference rooms.
City officials have decided to use the facility, located around 3 miles to the east of downtown Phoenix, as a place where people in the city who have no where else to go can shelter during the hot summer months. It is thought that the center may have enough space to house up to 200 people a day.
Phoenix in the summer months sometimes endures temperatures in excess of 120 degrees. Such temperatures are thought to be responsible for the deaths of nearly 200 homeless people last year.
Work reconverting the structure is expected to launch immediately, with the facility opening its doors in early June. Funding has been secured to keep the center open until at least fall.
Phoenix has previously established a series of cooling stations in recreation and senior centers throughout the city as part of its Heat Relief Network offering free water and temporary daytime indoor shelter.
By Garry Boulard
