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In 2007, housing and homeless services organization Human Solutions purchased land at Northeast 99th Avenue and Glisan Street. When the recession hit, chances for financing a housing development on the site plummeted, and Human Solutions sold the land to the city of Portland.

Now, the site is again being targeted by Human Solutions. Its proposal to develop the land in partnership with other nonprofit organizations was selected by the Portland Development Commission through a request for proposals. This time around, funding from state and federal tax credits and private foundations will help make the project feasible, said Jean DeMaster, Human Solutions’ executive director.

The Glisan Commons project also will be funded by tax increment financing from the .

鈥淎 lot of the impetus is coming from the 30 percent set aside for affordable housing in urban renewal areas,鈥� said Holst Architecture project manager Dave Otte. 鈥淭hat’s what’s driving this project.鈥�

The organizations involved 鈥� Human Solutions, Ride Connection, REACH Community Development and Housing Development Center, which is coordinating funding and housing for the project 鈥� will each contribute money as well, and one or more of the eventual occupants will likely carry a mortgage for their portion. Financing will be easier with public and charitable contributions, DeMaster said.

A warehouse, a barn and two single-family houses will be torn down to clear space at the site. When completed, the approximately $33 million, transit-oriented development will include 60 units of workforce housing developed by Human Solutions, 60 units of senior housing developed by REACH, 16,000 square feet of office space for Ride Connection and a parking structure.

Officials expect construction to start by next spring on the Human Solutions housing, office space and parking structure. The REACH senior housing will be built later, atop the parking structure. Project phases will be scheduled around the state’s release of affordable housing money. The plan is for each housing portion to be included in a different funding cycle, to maximize benefits for the project, DeMaster said.

The project will create the first permanent home for Ride Connection. The organization provides door-to-door van transportation service for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as special shuttles and education about safe driving and the city’s transit system. The 25-year-old organization has steadily expanded its mission and number of employees, and has hopped from one office space to another every few years.

鈥淓ach space we’re leasing we’ve outgrown,鈥� said Ride Connection development manager James Uyeda.

The nonprofit joined the Glisan Commons project because shared occupancy and multiple public funding opportunities increased feasibility.

鈥淲e didn’t want to do a capital campaign and make our donors choose between getting us a new space and providing services,鈥� Uyeda said. 鈥淎nd as far of the location goes 鈥� the Gateway District is truly a gateway to the metro area. It was an ideal location.鈥�

鈥淭he area is a hub 鈥� a short distance from Gateway Transit Center and shopping centers,鈥� DeMaster said. 鈥淵ou really will be able to function without a car, and spend money on other things than gasoline and auto repairs.鈥�

Many of the parking structure’s spaces will be used by Ride Connection staff, Otte said.

鈥淭here’s a lower-than-average parking ratio, because it is supposed to be focused on transit-oriented development,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f it was a standard, market-driven project there would be at least 50 percent more parking.鈥�

Human Solutions recently was awarded Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credits that DeMaster hopes can be used as leverage to entice private investment. Holst Architecture and contractor partnership R&H Construction/Colas Construction are now working on schematic design and cost analysis. Otte expects design review to begin in the fall.

鈥淭here are a bunch of decisions that need to be made before we know what it’s going to look like,鈥� Otte said.

Some ideas include community spaces both indoors and outdoors, with a large courtyard providing a vegetable garden for the senior housing, a picnic shelter for the workforce housing, and storm-water planters as landscape for the offices.