Recovery in Lower Albina district begins with unique arts and housing project
PORTLAND - The Albina Vision Trust (AVT) today announced plans to develop affordable housing and a community theater in historic Lower Albina in partnership with Edlen & Company.
Edlen & Company will serve as the developer while AVT will become the owner of the new seven story building, located between N. Flint Avenue and N Wheeler Avenue. The project will create 120 units of affordable housing, designed to serve families who make 30 to 60% area median income. The adjacent theater will anchor the district as a place for artists, creatives and youth while connecting the future of the neighborhood to its rich cultural heritage. Taken together, the project will allow AVT – the nonprofit organization created to facilitate socially driven development in Lower Albina – to take a meaningful step in establishing a physical and spiritual ownership stake in the district.
AVT board chair, Rukaiyah Adams, says, “The Albina Vision team is determined to lead the redevelopment of Lower Albina and the re-rooting of Black people, families and culture there.” Adams continues, “That work includes making sure that we are reflected in the built environment and that we participate in the wealth generated by our presence as owners of our homes and business. We aim to thrive, not just survive—and it begins with this project.”
The emphasis on housing and a community theater in this project reflects the aspirations Portlanders have long shared with the Albina Vision team. “Recovery from the present day consequences of forced displacement, the theft of Black wealth and the pandemic induced economic downturn will require us to lead with our values,” says Winta Yohannes, AVT’s managing director. Yohannes continues, “This modest but significant action to prioritize the arts, create affordable housing, and ensure community ownership is how we move from talking about equity to seeing it in action.”
AVT is pursuing this project in partnership with a diverse and highly experienced team, led by Edlen & Company, Colas Construction, Lever Architecture, and Kidder Matthews. Each organization represented on the team has a proven track record and commitment to innovation, social equity, and creating quality, affordable housing.
Chandra Robinson, project director at Lever Architects, says, “This project is the beginning of equitable transformation in the Rose Quarter. As an architect of color who grew up in Portland, I am honored to be part of a collective effort towards rebuilding a vibrant and inclusive neighborhood.”
In addition, this project is made possible by the deep commitment of current property owners, Betsy and Rich Reese, to the mission and goals of the Albina Vision.
About Albina Vision Trust:
Albina Vision Trust (AVT) is a nonprofit organization facilitating the thoughtful reinvention of lower Albina, the once thriving cultural capital of Portland from which thousands of primarily Black residents were forcibly displaced. Through excellence in urban planning, values-driven development, and authentic community engagement, AVT seeks to restore the neighborhood’s identity and transform what exists today into a vibrant socially and economically inclusive neighborhood. More info can be found at: albinavisiontrust.org
Media inquiries
Winta Yohannes
winta@albinavision.org
503 454 6375