Williams & Russell, Campus Project

Portland, OR
2027

The William & Russell Project will create a place of opportunity for Portland’s Black community through business enterprise, career development, art and expression, or simply being able to call this place home.

Overview

Idea

Deliver on the priorities that were identified through a community engagement process led by the Williams & Russell CDC, to develop land for projects that will create wealth in the form of ownership, affordable housing, and business support for those impacted by displacement and gentrification from the expansion of Emmanuel Hospital (now Legacy Health) in the 1970s.

Implementation

The project site was connected to the Legacy Health campus. Adre led a land division, due-diligence, environmental investigation, traffic analysis and is remediating the land to create three distinct properties devoid of contamination and legal and utility encumbrances.

Results

This one-block community development will empower the Black community by supporting small businesses, affordable housing, gathering spaces, and wealth-building through health and restorative justice, enhancing home, work, and life.

W&R Affordable Homeownership Project

Townhome-Style Development

Business Hub at Night

View from Corner of Williams Avenue

Business Hub with Plaza/Garden in Distance

Highlights

Secured a $400K Prosper Portland grant for due diligence
Negotiated and secured up to $12M for environmental remediation from Legacy Health, Prosper Portland, and Portland Housing Bureau
Negotiated a Prospective Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Oregon DEQ for environmental remediation and managing cleanup
Subdivided land with Multnomah County and created a multi-use path with City of Portland to create developable parcels
Secured a $50K Net Zero Fellowship for microgrid research, “District Systems for Equity-Centered Development”
Partnered with National Association of Minority Architects (NOMA) to utilize the site for its 2023 Student Design Competition