Salvation Army receives building donation in St. Paul to help combat homelessness

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Salvation Army Northern Division was given a building on Thursday with the hope that it will help reduce homelessness in St. Paul.

The Tareen and Walton families donated the Gallery Professional Building at 17 Exchange Street West. It's the single largest real estate donation the Salvation Army Northern Division has received this year.

The families purchased the building last year, helping secure a $1.5 million affordable housing grant from Ramsey County, and lining up potential residents. The building is eight stories tall and is over 100,000 square feet.

"It is heartbreaking to see so many homeless people lined up each evening with not enough beds available for all. We hope this building will help the Salvation Army in its work to address homelessness and poverty," said Dr. Basir Tareen.