Healthcare for the Homeless Houston
Retrofit Team
Architect and Engineer: Page, Houston
Materials
Not only did the multimillion-dollar renovation allow Healthcare for the Homeless Houston (HHH) to quadruple the size of its headquarters, it also enabled the health-care nonprofit to increase the number of people it serves. However, with more space comes more foot traffic. The design team sought products from five different flooring companies with the goal of finding a wood or wood-look flooring capable of withstanding a lot of foot traffic and use, as well as exuding a comforting residential aesthetic.
After receiving samples from all five vendors, the design team at Page selected Parterre as its flooring partner for the renovation project, purchasing more than 2,200 square feet of premium vinyl plank product. Designers chose Parterre’s flooring not only for its stylish appearance, but also its proven track record of withstanding wear and tear from heavy foot traffic. Because it would be the first thing a client would see upon visiting the clinic, designers decided to use Parterre’s luxury vinyl plank product in all reception and waiting areas, including the stairways on the second and third floors of the building.
Natural oak from Parterre’s InGrained Resilient Plank collection was selected because of its warm and natural wood look. Ami Robinson, interior designer at Page, said the design team was pleased with the flooring solution, as well as the accessibility and depth of knowledge of Parterre’s Sales representative Kip Altstaetter. “We looked at options provided by a few other manufacturers, but we selected the Parterre product because of how it looked and felt within the space,” Robinson notes.
Flooring Manufacturer: Parterre Flooring Systems
The Retrofit
HHH is a non-profit organization that provides long-term care for a growing population of vulnerable and marginalized homeless men, women and children. Founded in 1999, HHH began as a small two-room clinic situated in the corner of a crowded day shelter but, over the years, it was forced to adapt in size and scope in response to immense growth in the population it serves. In 2012, HHH hired Page to help design its new headquarters in an existing 3-story building, which was once the home of the Seafarer’s Union. The renovated space offers 20,375 square feet of clinic and office support areas.
The renovation project involved substantial changes to the exterior of the existing building and all three interior floors. The challenge from the outset was to completely transform the outdated downtown building into a welcoming and comfortable place where clients felt they were being taken care of and not simply hustled through the facility. Leaders of the non-profit expressed one of the biggest goals of the design project was to ensure the new space didn’t feel like a bus station.
Photo: Slyworks Photography