Madison staff outline design, costs and operational choices for new men’s shelter

Madison city staff on Wednesday briefed the Common Council in a discussion-format meeting on a new, purpose-built men’s shelter the city is building on Bartleland Drive, describing the facility’s design, capital costs, likely operating budgets and remaining funding gaps.

The presentation, led by Jim O’Keefe of the City’s community development division with staff member Lynette Rhodes, said the center was designed to serve about 250 guests a night, include smaller sleeping “pods” rather than one large dormitory, private meeting spaces for case management, a commercial kitchen, secure lockers at bedsides and medical/isolation rooms. “It is built to serve 250 guests a night,” O’Keefe said.

City staff and the shelter operator, Porchlight Incorporated, described the project as the product of years of pandemic-driven shelter changes, federal one-time pandemic funding that temporarily expanded capacity, and community design input that emphasized safety, storage for personal belongings and on-site services. Staff said the final capital cost is about $27 million, financed with a mix of city funds (including city-administered ARPA dollars), county contributions and federal funding secured with help from Rep. Mark Pocan’s office.

Why it matters: Shelter-design and operating choices will determine whether the facility can run as a 24-hour hub for services or remain an overnight shelter that requires guests to leave during the day. Operating at 24/7 capacity, staff told the council, increases staffing and service costs substantially; the city and county must resolve how much of the ongoing expense they will cover, and a newly formed private group — Shelter Friends of Dane County — is preparing private fundraising to help close the gap.

Key facts and design features

- Capacity and layout: The facility is designed for roughly 250 guests nightly, with multiple smaller sleeping pods, separate ADA-accessible rooms, secure bedside lockers and electrical…