Portland’s Pearl District neighborhood has seen a lot of change, transforming from a brownfield site to a mixed-use urban neighborhood. But that rapid development came with high housing costs and small apartment options. In an effort to bring some product diversity to the community, BRIDGE Housing Corp. created The Abigail Apartments, which comprises 128 affordable and 27 market-rate units ranging from studios to three-bedrooms.
Project Details
Location: Portland, Ore.
Developer: BRIDGE Housing Corp.
Architect: Ankrom Moisan Architects
Builder: Walsh Construction
Opened: July 2016
Number of units: 155
Unit mix: Studios and one-, two-, and three-bedrooms
Rents: $344 to $2,450
Eight of the affordable units are reserved for families earning less than 30% of the area median income (AMI), 27 for families earning less than 50% of the AMI, and 92 for those earning less than 60% of the AMI. One apartment is unrestricted and reserved for the apartment manager.
Two six-story buildings connected by a transparent bridge on each floor make up the development, each with its own unique style. The west building responds to the urban character of the street below, while the east building on the other side reflects the casual character of the railway and river alignments. The buildings are situated around four distinct outdoor spaces, including both public and private courtyards with green space for the residents.
The family-focused Abigail includes community gathering lounges on each floor, a guest suite available for a small nightly fee, a large community room with a full kitchen, a playground, and laundry facilities at each floor. The site is located four blocks from a streetcar station and within walking distance of multiple bus stops, two grocery stores, restaurants, a school, and parks.
Residents can also take advantage of free on-site family services, such as eviction prevention, including referrals for rent assistance and lease violations; tutoring; and job-search assistance.
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