JULIA MORGAN BUILDING
Julia Morgan was an American architect and engineer. She designed more than 700 buildings in California during a long and prolific career.
Morgan was the first woman to be admitted to the architecture program at l'École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the first woman architect licensed in California.
RENOVATION AND RESTORATION
The 100+ year old YWCA of the Harbor Area is a non-profit organization backed by a rich history of advocacy, with every program and activity based upon the mission “Eliminating Racism and Empowering Women”.
The original complex is at 437 W. 9th St in San Pedro, CA, where the Morgan House resides alongside a two story dorm style building. The Morgan House property was purchased and built in 1918 for approximately $4,000.00 and the now dilapidated two story dorm was built in 1958.
The YWCA began as a community center and over the years has developed into a space where there are formal activities, dances, and a variety of much needed community serving programs. It has served as support to a domestic violence agency to help women and their children when there was nowhere else safe to go.
Today we are an organization that works to fight discrimination by helping women and girls through programs that empower women and eliminate racism. While the programs have changed and evolved over the last 30+ years our mission has remained the same. In recent years new and fine-tuned direct need programs were developed with a focus of sustainability, which is resulting in a direct, positive community impact.
Projected Needs and Funding Uses
- Renovate and restore the historic Julia Morgan designed YWCA Headquarters in San Pedro
- Demolish and replace the adjacent two-story dormitory
- Provide transitional housing for victims of domestic violence and their children
- Provide the food distribution program with refrigerated, vehicle accessible storage space
- Complete power and electrical upgrade to serve existing and future infrastructure needs
- ADA upgrades and improvements as required by law
- Create easy access donation receiving area with proper disinfecting space and storage capacity for Julia’s Closet Thrift Store inventory
- Expand dedicated space for mammogram examinations and women’s health clinic
- Add classrooms for workforce development, child care and afterschool programs
- Commercial kitchen to support hot meal programs and food truck distribution
- Dedicated space for our DIY furniture repair program
- Relocate existing administrative offices in Julia Morgan Building to expand space for community events and activities
Gallery
