Construction of June Key Delta house moving forward

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A project to convert a North Portland gas station into one of Portland’s first Living Buildings got a significant boost this morning with a loan and two grants from the Portland Development Commission totaling $434,658.

The PDC this morning announced that the June Key Delta House would receive aCommercial Property Redevelopment loan and Storefront Improvement and Community Livability grants to cover the estimated $900,000 construction cost.

The former gas station, located at 5940 N. Albina Avenue, was purchased by the Portland-chapter of predominantly African-American sorority Delta Sigma Theta in 1992 with the goal of turning it into a community center.

Mark Nye of Nye Architecture, who designed the project to meet the Living Building Challenge, has run into a number of funding hurdles for the project and is relieved that the community center could now begin construction as soon as April. But the project is still seeking a private partner to fund a solar array that would make the building eligible to meet the LBC.

“The PDC funding will cover everything but the solar array,” Nye said. “We’re now looking for a for-profit partner who can help us get (Business Energy Tax Credits) for the project’s solar array.”

General contractor Colas Construction Inc. is expected to begin construction on the project in late April.

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