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The Canopy Apartments at Powell is a collaborative effort between USA Properties Fund, Northwest Housing Alternatives and Oregon Housing and Community Services. The 169-unit, 182,000-square-foot affordable apartment community is spread across a 3.8-acre parcel in Southeast Portland.

Innovations abound in every corner of The Canopy. The project’s layout, set in a mixed-use zone along Powell Boulevard, demanded careful consideration.

Sensitivity to scale, access to green spaces and community integration were key. The team designed a thoughtful layout featuring a three-story building along the street frontage, seamlessly blending with the neighborhood’s low-scale structures. The four-story building takes its place at the rear, ensuring a harmonious balance.

Central to the site are two courtyards – one facing west to take advantage of daylight, the other to the north, shielding residents from busy Powell Boulevard. These spaces serve as vibrant gathering spots for the community.

The community room serves as more than just a gathering hub. It’s a safe area during seismic events, equipped with energy from the solar array, charging stations and a food pantry for residents. The Canopy has a 130 KW photovoltaic system, utilizing a hybrid ballasted racking system that minimizes roof penetrations.

The Canopy provides affordable housing with larger unit sizes to serve families. More than half the units are two- and three-bedrooms, prioritizing the needs of this often-overlooked population in the affordable housing market. In addition to being close to transit, grocery stores and schools, The Canopy has onsite services provided by Hacienda Community Development Corp.

Ensuring safety along a busy street with mass transit and pedestrians was a priority. Walsh Construction’s team followed strict safety protocols to minimize risks, including clearly marked pedestrian pathways, utilizing barriers to delineate construction zones and deploying highly visible signage to alert both pedestrians and drivers to ongoing construction activities.

Workforce safety efforts included mandatory safety training programs and regular briefings on specific challenges posed by the site’s location. Personal protective equipment was strongly enforced and personnel wore high-visibility clothing to enhance visibility, especially during low-light conditions.