Photo: St. Francis House
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The St. Francis House, a homeless shelter in Boston, has unveiled a new multi-million-dollar renovation meant to offer more services to the community.
Using a trauma-informed design, the $29 million renovation aimed to make the 120-year-old building a more comfortable and sensory friendly environment.
The main lobby now feels like that of a swanky boutique hotel. They've also reworked the dining space and added plants, a grand staircase, a boutique for clothes, a new clinic, and spa-like showers.
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St. Francis House CEO Karen LaFrazia said they wanted the space to feel less like an institution and more like a place people want to be. She said it has been "transformative."
"By making these changes, we will actually now start to see people not only have a better experience in the moment, but it will help us change the trajectory of their lives," LaFrazia said.
The nonprofit organization has been servicing adults experiencing homelessness and poverty since 1984.
WBZ NewsRadio's Kyke Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.