Amazon bought this old hotel in Seattle and turned it into a homeless shelter

Amazon Shelter
Amazon

Last month, Amazon announced that it's turning an old hotel it bought in downtown Seattle into a temporary shelter for homeless people.

Advertisement

It's only going to be open through 2017. Amazon bought the land to turn it into part of its ever expanding campus.

But for now, Amazon has partnered with nonprofit organization Mary's Place and the Seattle Mayor's office to run the shelter. 

Here's what it's like inside:

Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.

Advertisement

The building is a former Travelodge hotel in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, near Amazon's headquarters.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

Amazon took care of all the interior improvements, but it reached out to a local nonprofit called Mary's Place to run the facility. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also donated $1 million to Mary's Place as part of the project.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

Source: Mynorthwest.com

Advertisement

The building has 60 guest rooms. It can house up to 200 people.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

Currently, it houses about 100 people, but it expects to be full by the end of May. A homeless family in King County can call 211 to join the shelter.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.
Advertisement

Each room comes with a bathroom and shower.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

The shelter offers free breakfast and dinner, too.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.
Advertisement

Families can stay until construction starts in the spring of 2017 — as long as they're working on their housing goals.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

Housing goals include filling out housing and employment applications, scheduling interviews, enrolling in school or job-training programs, and making payment plans.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.
Advertisement

They also need to establish weekly goals to ensure they're working toward financial stability. "Families are held accountable to being fully involved in the process," a representative from Mary's Place told us.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

Each shelter guest also has to work a minimum of three hours a week, which lets them earn points that can be used towards buying items from the shelter's store.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

Source: Mynorthwest.com

Advertisement

There's also a play area for kids and a community space where families can come together.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

It comes with a laundry facility as well.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.
Advertisement

This is a storage room filled with donations made through Amazon's Wish List site. Anyone can make donations through the site.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.

You can donate here.

Mary's Place says it hopes the families will have moved on to stable housing before the building goes under construction. Or it plans to offer another place at one of its six shelters in Seattle.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.
Advertisement

"We provide a place where these families can stabilize and find the resources they need to move successfully into permanent housing. 97% of families are only homeless once — they’ve hit a bump in the road and just need a little time, a little assistance, to get back on their feet," a person from Mary's Place told us.

Amazon Shelter
Amazon/ VanHouten Photography, Inc.
Amazon Jeff Bezos
Advertisement
Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.