Casa Rio

Allen Hall (1750 E. Silverlake) is owned by the Army but has been declared surplus property and will be vacated by 2011. The site is 3.5 acres and contains 36,000 sq. ft. of built improvements. The main building is a 1953 two-story office building with a large multi-purpose room and commercial kitchen, storage cages, lockers and a weapon safe. There is a large out-building used for vehicle storage and maintenance. City of Tucson is acting on behalf of the Army in considering a new use for the property. Parties interested in taking ownership of the property must file a ''notice of interest'' by October 1, 2007. Federal regulations identify two types of priorities to be considered when deciding use of the property: 1) services for the homeless; and 2) public benefit uses such as education, public health, public airports, historic monuments, public parks or recreation areas, correctional facilities, law enforcement, emergency management, self-help housing, and wildlife conservation. Residents are asked to comment on these potential uses for the property and participate in public meetings on this issue as the ''highest and best use'' for the property is determined. The contact for this project is Ann Vargas, 520-837-5434, or ann.vargas@tucsonaz.gov.

Organizations who have expressed interest in using Allen Hall

A series of Public Meetings will be held to collect comments from citizens regarding the following proposed uses for the facility. A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) will use the comments to recommend the best use(s) for the facility to Mayor and Council in late June. In the interim the committee will also be appearing at neighborhood meetings to inform neighbors and give them an opportunity to respond. Public Meetings are scheduled for April 29, June 3 and June 17 at Quincie Douglas Neighborhood Center at 6:30 p.m. For more information about this process contact Corky Poster at 520-882-6310.

Southern Arizona Regional Emergency Management & Homeland Security: Complex would be used to prepare for, prevent/mitigate, respond to, and recover from all hazard incidents/disasters that may occur in Tucson, Pima County and/or Southern Arizona and Mexico. Would coordinate all emergency-related activities, inventory equipment, materials and resources; coordinate resource acquisition and distribution in an event; conduct training and practical exercises; update emergency operations and prevention/mitigation plans; assist city departments in developing operating procedures; advise and assist government leaders, carry out quick and efficient recoveries, and provide community outreach. 

Silverlake Center: Tucson Planning Council for the Homeless would sponsor a community resource center for health, wellness, and economic stability to address key priorities in the Plan to End Homelessness in Pima County. Includes El Rio Community Health Center to provide medical and dental services, Compass Health Care to provide community-based alcoholism and drug abuse prevention and treatment, Primavera Foundation to assist with housing issues and Primavera Works to assist with employment issues and money management, Partnership with United Way and Southern Arizona Earned Income Tax Credit to provide free tax consultation, and Silverlake Community Coordination Team to make outreach visits and assess and respond to the area's needs. Also would provide meeting/classroom/event space, public computer lab, space to house victims, volunteers and supplies in the event of an emergency or disaster, and possibly a child care facility and playground.

Pima Community College: Would relocate some of its training courses from the Center of Training and Development and the Public Safety and Emergency Institute such as: business and office programs, food services, health occupations, truck driver training, surgical technician program, crime scene management, experiential education, emergency medical technician, fire science and law enforcement.

City of Tucson Neighborhood Center: To expand homeless and senior services as well as Parks and Recreation organizational maintenance and support. Would partner with local social service agencies to provide city-wide public services to homeless and senior communities. Would centralize administration as well as equipment and park maintenance activities. (Distinguished from Quincie Douglas Center because daily, recurring program activities would not occur at the new facility).

Allen Hall Employment Services for the Homeless: COPE Community Services in partnership with RISE (a wholly-owned subsidiary of COPE) would relocate and expand recycling services and offer sheltered employment, supportive employment, job placement, employment practice and volunteer positions, reintegration and socialization into the mainstream workforce, work exploration, job carving, skills development, computer training, securing healthcare and identification, and mental health services. Would coordinate/collaborate with other community providers who assist the homeless, the unemployed and the disabled.

Update:

The Army Reserve will abandon the Allen Hall building on Silverlake in 2011 and a committee is overseeing the transfer of the building to a new civilian use. At the April SPNA meeting 3 proposed uses were presented: Emergency Management and Homeland Security offices combined with public safety courses taught by Pima Community College (PCC), Parks & Recreation offices and maintenance facilities combined with COPE/RISE recycling pro-gram, or a health and service center for homeless and low-income people combined with health courses taught by PCC. Residents at the meeting voted to support the Emergency Management proposal and a letter was sent to Councilman Leal's office. On May 12, the above 3 proposals were presented to City Council's Subcommittee on Economic and Workforce Development (chaired by Leal) and that committee was told that residents prefer the emergency management option. Despite that, the subcommittee voted to support the Parks and Recreation proposal that would allow the city to relocate offices and facilities to Allen Hall to free space in some parks, and possibly add 1 soccer field in the retention basin east of Casas de Kino. The next public meetings on this issue will be June 3 and June 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Quincie Douglas Center. Call Ann Vargas at 837-5424.