Home ALBINA THE NAME CONTEXT VISION VALUES Home ALBINATHE NAMECONTEXTVISIONVALUES Scroll Our Vision Honoring the neighborhoods’s past by transforming what exists today into a socially and economically inclusive community of residents, businesses, artists, makers, and visitors. This vibrantly diverse community is anchored by intentionally conceived parks, plazas, combined with civic and cultural event spaces of different size and use, and is seamlessly connected to the river and its surrounding neighborhoods. We can’t call a place home until we’ve made it our own— added our touches—made it comfortable—made it functional—put out a few plants, some art, a fish, maybe a rug. Then we stand back, arms akimbo, proud, ready to invite friends and family over. Then we call it home. This is our home. All of it. Portland. And the Rose Quarter falls under our home duties. We’re responsible for adding our touches to it and making it comfortable for ourselves and anyone who may join us for dinner. And as good homeowners with ninety acres of to-do-lists to tackle, we look at the Rose Quarter and ask ourselves the most difficult question-where should we start? Intimidating isn’t big enough of a word. There’s about 150 years of history is the Rose Quarter part of town and our job is to pay respect to it by creating an inclusive, affordable, vibrant, welcoming part of our home: welcoming parks, inclusive schools, vibrant churches, affordable housing, connecting with the river and reconnecting with a part of our home that is overdue for some love and attention, jeez, it’s a lot of work. But this is our home, right? Right, and while we’re at it, we’ll restore its identity and call it by its name— HISTORICAL CONTEXT The Albina community, which largely overlapped with the current Rose Quarter District, was once the cultural capital of Portland. It was a home to Portland’s black community, and a center of arts, small businesses, schools, and faith. 1931 Sam Atseff Grocery, North Larrabee Street 1940's Urban renewal in the 50’s and 60’s brought interstate highways, razing of neighborhoods, pushing the community further out from the city center. A vibrant community became a place to visit for events, but not a place to stay or live. 1953 Maxey’s Parlor, North Weidler Street 1948 Broadway Bridge during the Vanport Flood 1949 Construction begins on Interstate Avenue 1952 Interstate Avenue and junctions completed 1957 Corner of North Ross and North Mcmillen 1957 Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, North Larrabee and North Mcmillen 1958 Site Cleared for Memorial Coliseum 1958 Site area graded for Memorial Coliseum 1969 Aerial view of Memorial Coliseum 2016 Current aerial view of The Rose Quarter Our opportunity is to honor the history of the Albina community that once was, while remaining focused on the brighter future to come. By restoring the name “Albina”, we endeavor to help bring back the sense of community to the neighborhood, as well as evolve its story. RESOURCES Bleeding Albina: A History of Community Disinvestment, 1940-2000 → Download Desegregation and Multiculturalism in the Portland Public Schools → Download Oregon Humanities: Albina Rising → Web A PLACE FOR PEOPLE Public open space and access is central to our vision. This means parks, cultural, and event spaces that accommodate a range of scales and uses. Albina! is where you meet for a one on one chess game, a 5 on 5 basketball game, and to participate in the City’s largest gatherings and events. You come to Albina! to inspire and be inspired. The outcome will be the City’s front porch. CONNECTED TO NATURE In regenerating a neighborhood we will integrate nature, utilizing and exposing environmental systems. We will re-knit the area to adjacent neighborhoods and bring people to the river. The outcome will be an environment and experience that sets a new standard for responsible urbanism. INCLUSIONARY Replacing the displaced the heartbeat of Albina. We will acknowledge a diffi cult past as we aspire to reintroduce a neighborhood to this place. In a time of deep need, our vision is fueled by intentional and large-scale affordable and workforce housing. The outcome will be a diverse and resilient community. OUR VALUES Honor what was, what happened, and what could be Heal ourselves and our communities Reconnect to the river A place to live, work, and play Integrate arts in the process and product Be intentionally remarkable OUR Vision Create a strong public connection to the Willamette River Create a public waterfront park with cultural emphasis Create a public plaza with local market and event emphasis Create a public park blocks with neighborhood emphasis Create inclusionary residential and commercial development that spans Broadway Avenue Create infill development that bridges I-5 Connect district to existing active eastside neighborhoods GET INVOLVED Donate Over the course of six months in early 2015 a wide range of engaged citizens and community leaders came together through work sessions and vision exercises to articulate their values and develop a physical framework for the future of Albina. These advocates of the city were given no specific development agenda and were free to establish their own standard of a successful outcome. From this combined knowledge of Portland, urban development, finance, history, and local communities, grew a holistic vision for an emerging Albina District. Following this initial effort, the vision has been carried forward largely by volunteer members of the initial working group supported by various professionals lending their specific expertise. As a framework vision, this is a living idea that will continue to evolve through the collaboration of a wide range of community leaders, citizens, local and state government organizations and a wide range of professionals including developers, architects, engineers and planners. Name * Name First Name Last Name Email Address * Message * Thank you! ALB!NA THE NAME HISTORY RESOURCES VISION VALUES CONTACT Hours Powered by Squarespace