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Construction Underway For First-Of-Its-Kind Homeless Shelter In Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Construction on a first-of-its-kind homeless shelter broke ground on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

The shelter will have no barriers, meaning fewer people will be denied because the hurdles won't be there for people experiencing homeless.

Second Avenue Commons.

Leaders from Action Housing, Allegheny County, the city of Pittsburgh, Highmark, PNC and UPCMC broke ground on the site near the Liberty Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh.

The 4,200-square-foot building will offer serves focused on unemployment and addiction. There will also be a medical and behavioral health clinic operated by UPMC.

"A shelter for 95 people. A day program for people who are not ready to move into a facility but still need places to take shower, pick up mail, to get services. Forty-five units of single-occupancy housing," said Linda Metropulos, board president of Second Avenue Commons.

The project has been in the works for more than six years. If all goes as planned, the new shelter will open its doors next summer.

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