Downtown Women's Center

This award-winning project was a complete renovation of an existing circa 1927 six-story, 67,000 SF concrete structure in downtown Los Angeles. The renovation transformed this historically relevant building into a self-contained community with 72 studio apartment units, a community center, a medical clinic, a retail space, and a medical clinic. The medical clinic is approximately 2,500 SF and offers a patient waiting room, five exam and counseling rooms, a secure dispensary with a dedicated waiting room, a mammogram room with an adjoining dressing room, restrooms, and administrative and records spaces.

Building enhancements include an extensive seismic upgrade to the building and selective demolition to expand the existing foundation system with the incorporation of 32 drilled friction piles with depths up to 60′. New concrete shear walls extending from the ground floor to the roof were also constructed, along with a seismic upgrade of the existing steel structures within the building.

Founded in 1978, the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that provides 40,000 meals, permanent supportive housing, and a wide array of health, education, and other supportive services to more than 2,000 homeless and very low-income women each year.