A Groundbreaking for Veterans

On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, the Staples Construction team had the pleasure of joining A Community of Friends, U.S. Vets, and DE Architects at the groundbreaking ceremony for Ventura Springs – the latest development to come to Ventura County with the distinct aim of housing and serving the veterans of our community.

The ceremony was spearheaded by Dora Leong Gallo, President and CEO of A Community of Friends (ACOF) and Stephen J. Peck, MSW, USMC, President and CEO of U.S. Vets under a series of white tents on an expansive plot of land formerly owned by the City of Ventura. Peck, a veteran himself, said U.S. Vets has “wanted to come to Ventura for at least 15 years.” The ceremony also featured remarks from public figures Mayor Sofia Rubalcava, Ventura City Councilmember Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios, and Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere. In addition to this lineup, Linda Braunshweiger, President and CEO of Housing Trust Fund Ventura County, and Sindy Spivak, West Region Market Executive from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, touched on the funding provided early on, and the efforts it took to get this far—a significant achievement in and of itself since it’s been a “long time getting to construction” according to ACOF’s President, Gallo. Through the combined efforts of ACOF, U.S. Vets, the City of Ventura, and the development team, the project is officially well underway.

The long-awaited 122-unit Ventura Springs complex will be composed of 11 two- and three-story buildings over ten acres with plenty of common space to be used by residents. The goal of the final project is to create a community that will enrich the lives of our local veterans and their families, who may have a disability, and/or experienced homelessness or economic challenges that have made it difficult for them to afford quality housing. One common theme throughout the panel of speakers was the participants’ dedication to supporting our veterans, and their eager anticipation for the ribbon cutting ceremony, expected end of 2023.

Staples is partnered with the following entities on this project—
Construction Management: S.L. Leonard & Associates, Inc.
Architect: DE Architects, AIA
Design Consultant: Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects
Landscape Architect: Pacific Coast Land Design, Inc.
Civil Engineer: Encompass Consultant Group
Structural Engineer: Labib Funk + Associates
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Engineer: Gausman & Moore