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Abandoned Hollywood hotel transformed into solar-powered homeless shelter including rooftop farm

5 min read

Inspiring People
Source: Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation

The rooftop Tower Farm at Step Up on Vine provides tenants with vocational training, horticultural therapy, and up to half a ton of fresh, healthy food annually.

Step Up on Vine: former Hollywood hotel becomes homeless shelter

Formerly an abandoned Hollywood hotel, Step Up on Vine is now a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certified, solar-powered shelter for the chronically homeless. It’s also home to a rooftop Tower Farm. The roof farm at Step Up on Vine provides tenants with vocational training, horticultural therapy, and, of course, healthy food — as much as half a ton annually.

With initial funding from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, a private contribution by Aileen Getty, and in partnership with Shangri-La Construction, Step Up on Vine was converted from a hotel into permanent supportive housing. It represents Step Up’s expansion of its “housing first” model outside of the Santa Monica area and into Hollywood.
Opened in 2013, with 34 units. Seven of these units are reserved for transition-age youth. With initial funding from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, a private contribution by Aileen Getty, and in partnership with Shangri-La Construction, Step Up on Vine was converted from a hotel into permanent supportive housing. It represents Step Up’s expansion of its “housing first” model outside of the Santa Monica area and into Hollywood. Source: stepupamerica.stepup.org
This conversion, rehabilitation, and retrofit to the historic 1925 structure, last known as the Galaxy Inn Hostel, provides safe permanent supportive housing for the homeless and mentally ill.
Hotel of hope for the homeless in Hollywood. This conversion, rehabilitation, and retrofit to the historic 1925 structure, last known as the Galaxy Inn Hostel, provides safe permanent supportive housing for the homeless and mentally ill. Source: Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation
The development spans 20,602 square feet throughout three levels.
Funded by low-income housing tax credits. The development spans 20,602 square feet throughout three levels. Source: Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation
The ground floor features community spaces, including a computer lab, restrooms, cafe, and commercial kitchen used by residents and to serve the public. Source: shangrilaconstruction.com
It includes 34, 285-square-foot units with built-ins, a kitchenette, and a bathroom. Source: shangrilaconstruction.com
This provides a year-round supply of fresh, chemical-free lettuce, fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the rooftop.
The Step Up Foundation, led by president and CEO Tod Lipka, decided to support the city’s homeless even further by adding a Future Growing® rooftop farm. This provides a year-round supply of fresh, chemical-free lettuce, fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the rooftop. Source: shangrilaconstruction.com
The rooftop includes an outdoor respite with an aeroponic garden where tenants can grow herbs and vegetables. Source: Towerfarms.com
Importantly, the farm is also providing vocational training and horticultural therapy for the homeless.
You cannot get fresh, sustainable produce that is more local than produce that was picked a few feet from your apartment! Importantly, the farm is also providing vocational training and horticultural therapy for the homeless. Source: Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation
— while still providing room for a peaceful and healing sanctuary for the building’s tenants in the middle of a busy metropolitan environment.
The vertical aeroponic Tower Garden® farm allows for a huge amount of produce to be grown in a small footprint, — while still providing room for a peaceful and healing sanctuary for the building’s tenants in the middle of a busy metropolitan environment. Source: Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation
The rooftop farm significantly reduces the carbon footprint of food and contributes to the building’s LEED points by using up to 95% less water, 90% less space, and safe food-grade growing materials. Source: Facebook/SustainableUrbanDeltaFoundation
As a member of the Clinton Global Initiative Call to Action, we are excited to share that the Clinton Global Initiative, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation, Step Up Foundation, and many other contributors have taken this multi-year project to reality.
This project is LEED Platinum. As a member of the Clinton Global Initiative Call to Action, we are excited to share that the Clinton Global Initiative, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Foundation, Step Up Foundation, and many other contributors have taken this multi-year project to reality. Source: Towerfarms.com
After former President Bill Clinton visited the rootop Tower Garden® farm during Step up On Vine’s grand opening, he said, “It’s just a blessing to me that my friends…wanted this to be a LEED certified building.
President Clinton’s tour of the rooftop. After former President Bill Clinton visited the rootop Tower Garden® farm during Step up On Vine’s grand opening, he said, “It’s just a blessing to me that my friends…wanted this to be a LEED certified building. Source: FutureGrowing.wordpress.com
“I went up on the roof and saw the garden. I was eating out of the garden, sort of like a rabbit. It’s the way it is—you grow up in the country, you’re used to eating out of the ground, and you do it when you can! It’s really wonderful,” he said.
In addition, President Clinton was very impressed with the Future Growing vertical aeroponic farming technology. “I went up on the roof and saw the garden. I was eating out of the garden, sort of like a rabbit. It’s the way it is—you grow up in the country, you’re used to eating out of the ground, and you do it when you can! It’s really wonderful,” he said. Source: FutureGrowing.wordpress.com
Former hotel has new lease of life. Source: Towerfarms.com
Lettuce take a moment to appreciate the rooftop Tower Garden Source: Towerfarms.com
Healthy hydroponics. Source: FutureGrowing.wordpress.com
Vans off the Wall of edible flowers, herbs and vegetables.
Chive talking. Vans off the Wall of edible flowers, herbs and vegetables. Source: FutureGrowing.wordpress.com
Make an Impact

5 WAYS TO HELP THE HOMELESS (WITH PICTURES)

There are lots of other ways to help homeless people. Donating food and clothing to homeless shelters is a great way to help. You could also volunteer your time with such an organisation. Educate yourself and others about homelessness and share facts about homelessness with others. Use letters to your local newspaper, blog posts, and social media to spread the word about how homelessness is a problem and what others can do to help. Click for 5 ways to help the homeless