91视频

The city of Portland is forging a new program to provide affordable commercial space in city-owned buildings.

The will offer leases below market rate and technical assistance to selected commercial tenants, with a preference for businesses owned by women and persons of color.

At first, the city is offering affordable commercial space in four buildings where projects managed by Prosper Portland are ongoing. The buildings are Alberta Commons in Northeast Portland, the Southwest 10th Avenue and Yamhill Street parking garage in downtown and two small buildings at Southeast 92nd Avenue and Foster Road in Lents: Oliver Station and Lents Commons.

In total, the available space represents at least 12,000 square feet 鈥� and likely more after the parking garage’s affordable retail space is determined.

Prosper Portland has received more than 30 applications for the program, said Alison Wicks, a project coordinator for the city agency. It’s accepting applications for the first three buildings; the 10th & Yamhill garage will open for applications at a later date.

The program has been a 鈥渓ong time coming,鈥� Commissioner Nick Fish said. The city missed opportunities to maintain affordable commercial space during the most recent recession, he said.

鈥淲e were building very attractive affordable housing developments throughout the city, but we never viewed the commercial spaces as a community asset,鈥� Fish said during a City Council meeting last week. 鈥淚n fact, in many ways, we got it completely wrong.鈥�

Nonprofit housing developers were not able to effectively use the ground-floor commercial spaces in affordable housing developments, Fish said.

鈥淚t was not in their wheelhouse to know how to market it and sell it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat was not their core expertise.鈥�

Mayor Ted Wheeler said the program is emblematic of a recent refocus in mission at Prosper Portland, which in May rebranded (the agency was formerly the Portland Development Commission) to place a greater emphasis on equity and shared prosperity. In August 2016, Kimberly Branam was promoted to executive director. Seats on the agency’s board have turned over too.

鈥淚’m thrilled with the new direction of Prosper Portland, and I think this is a great example of the direction we’re going to see Prosper Portland go under new leadership,鈥� he said.

The program is in part a reaction to increased rental rates and scarce vacancies, Wicks said. But affordable commercial space is needed for businesses owned by women and persons of color in any economy, she said.

鈥淭hose are businesses that will consistently have barriers to entering into a retail space,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat’s something that even in a downturn would be exacerbated.鈥�

Prosper Portland is looking to form an ongoing partnership with the Housing Bureau to provide affordable commercial space, said Kyra Straussman, Prosper Portland’s director of development and investment.

鈥淲hat’s happening here is an innovation nationally, so it’s not like we have a lot of examples to run with,鈥� Straussman told the City Council.

Alberta Commons will have about 5,100 square feet in total for four program participants, who will receive business coaching from Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon, a Portland nonprofit group.

Lents Commons will have 3,725 square feet of affordable commercial space, likely split between two tenants, Wicks said.

Oliver Station will have approximately 4,000 square feet of affordable commercial space through an agreement with developer Palindrome Communities, likely divided by two to three tenants.

The downtown parking garage, which is on the verge of a major renovation, will have 21,000 square feet of commercial space, although it’s unclear how much of that space will be dedicated to program participants.

Prosper Portland is working with brokers on each project now, and is in discussions with prospective tenants, Wicks said. Some tenants could be chosen by the end of the year, with tenant build-outs beginning in early 2018.