Mary's Place buys former recovery center in Burien, to provide housing for up to 200 people a night



SEATTLE -- Mary's Place announced Monday that it has purchased the former Lakeside Milam Recovery in Burien to provide housing and employment resources during the day and shelter for up to 200 mothers, fathers and children each night.

Since 2010, Mary's Place has operated emergency family shelters by converting buildings awaiting development into shelters. It currently operates 10 shelters, including buildings on loan from King County, the city of Seattle and Amazon that provide 650 beds each night.

Mary's Place said a  committee of mostly volunteer real estate, property, legal, construction, and architecture professionals work regularly with the agency to help locate buildings and convert them quickly and efficiently into “home for now” for families experiencing homelessness.

Mary's Place, with the partnership of the Mark and Lisa Caputo family of Mercer Island, bought the former Lakeside Milam Recovery Center at 12845 Ambaum Blvd. in Burien.

“We are excited to be purchasing our first permanent home!” said Marty Hartman, Mary's Place executive director, said in a news release. “This building in Burien will help us to meet the needs of the growing numbers of families that we see coming from South King County communities. We are incredibly grateful to the Caputos for this partnership and opportunity!”