Pamela’s Place, 2022
As a plumbing and HVAC firm, our role is only part of the project. For many of our employees, it can sometimes feel like we come in, install our part, and leave, without seeing the results of what our work does for the community. Recently, Pamela’s Place in Salt Lake City, Utah opened, is a 100-unit supportive housing complex named in honor of homeless advocate Pamela Atkinson. The new facility is unique across the nation as a housing first development focusing on long-term solutions for the homeless population. We were honored to be part of the construction team on this project. Pamela’s Place helps the most vulnerable Pamela’s Place is a five-story facility uniquely designed to help vulnerable citizens. It has 95 units for persons with disabilities, 10 for persons with physical disabilities, and 5 for homeless or nearly homeless individuals. The complex also offers unique services, including onsite counseling, mental health services, access to a psychiatrist, and physical health services. In addition, on the first floor of the building, a clinic run by Sacred Circle Healthcare, owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, will offer additional care services. The facility will provide 24/7, fully staffed care to provide extensive support services to vulnerable individuals to address the root causes of homelessness. Pamela’s Place is named for Pamela Atkinson, a long-time supporter, and advocate of the homeless community. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Atkinson delighted in this project, declaring, “This really isn’t about me. I just want to focus…on the people who are going to be living here, the people for whom this building came to fruition, and that’s our homeless friends and our low-income friends.” Funding for this $11 million project, came from public sources, including the Utah Housing Corporation, the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency, and other partners. Housing Assistance Management Enterprise and the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City developed the project. UMC, Inc.’s role in the project We worked with lead contractor Wadman Construction on this project, which was a delightful experience. But this project was more than the result of a happy partnership. According to DeeAnn Harvey, head of human resources at UMC, Inc., this project was unique “because it allowed our younger employees to see what we do matters. They don’t always get to see the complete vision of our projects. But this project takes it a step further. It shows that we provide one of the basic necessities of life – housing. This project offers permanent hope to members of the homeless community, so it was really eye-opening for us. We are grateful to have a small part in that.” It was a pleasure and honor to work with Wadman Construction and our other construction partners on this unique project. Even if our part of this project was small, we are so grateful that we were able to help in the construction of something that will be so beneficial to our community. We are thankful for our partners who trusted our expertise and skill to make this project a success. We are excited that the facility and the services offered will support vulnerable individuals for years to come.
