Part of Fresno Rescue Mission to be demolished and moved due to High-Speed Rail

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Major changes are coming to the Fresno Rescue Mission in Downtown Fresno. For a facility that has provided everything from hot meals to chapel service for the last seven decades a portion of the Christian shelter is being forced to move across the street to make room for High-Speed Rail.

"We will continue to serve the way we serve, we will not interrupt any of our services," said Don Eskes, Fresno Rescue Mission CEO.

Needy families will still be able to take advantage of the shelter's services during a construction process that will eventually see one building get demolished and replaced with temporary units. The units will be on an open piece of land adjacent to other Rescue Mission facilities.

The shelter has a five year plan to build a new campus that will better serve the community.

"I think it'll give us an opportunity to design around current needs, because this building was designed for the needs at that time," said Eskes.

To replace the 33,000 square foot building with temporary units across the street will cost the High-Speed Rail Authority millions of dollars

"The temporary facilities will cost $6-million to construct and then its approximately a million dollars a year for the rental of those facilities, which are six large buildings-- two structures and four modular buildings," said Eskes.

Demolition has not been scheduled as of yet, but High-Speed Rail will take over the building by the end of the year.