Project name: The Hazel Ying Lee Apartments

Location: Portland

Completion: August 2024

Size: 125,890 square feet

Cost: $55,271,925

Owner/Developer: Home Forward

Architect: Holst Architecture

Engineers: ABHT Structural Engineers, KPFF, Samata Consulting Engineers

General Contractor: Colas Construction

Submitting Company: Colas Construction

Other Key Participants: Portland Housing Bureau

Subcontractors: Able Fence, Acousti-Level, Affordable Electric, All About Flagging, All Seasons Insulation, Architectural Metalcrafters, AT Publix, Authority Dock & Door, Building Material Specialties, Cascade Radon, Cascade Tower & Rigging, Compaction and Recycling, Cosco Fire Protection, CSL Structures, DDN Interior Supply, DE-EL Enterprises, DeWitt Construction, Eagle Striping Services, Eastside Paving, Elemental Energy, Exteriors Design, Grant Painting, Great Floors, Huntco Supply, Hunter-Davisson, Interior Technology, K&D Services of Oregon, Keywest Retaining Systems, Klinger Masonry, Lanz Cabinet Shop, M&M Construction Services, McCoy Millwork, McDonald & Wetle, MK Fall Protection, Mt. Hood Steel & Wood, Northwest Masonry, Northwest Scaffold Service, Oregon State Bridge, Outdoor Play & Amenities, Pacific Landscape Services, Paulson’s Floor Covering, River City Glass & Window, Ross Recreation Equipment, Santiago Concrete, Sawtooth Caulking, Schindler Elevator, Standard TV & Appliance, Superior Interiors, Tapani Plumbing, Timber Technologies, Ultra Star, VPI Quality Windows, WH Cress

The Hazel Ying Lee Apartments, a 206-unit affordable housing development in Southeast Portland’s Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, has transformed a largely vacant lot into a community-centered living space that sets new standards for affordable housing design.

Designed by Holst Architecture and built by Colas Construction, the project features cost-effective wood-frame construction over a taller ground-floor podium that accommodates loft-style units and shared amenities. Named after the first Chinese American woman to fly for the U.S. military, the four-story complex features an innovative X-shaped layout that maximizes density while creating protected courtyards and pedestrian pathways. The distinctive design, which earned the Portland Design Commission’s Design Excellence Award in 2021, reflects the neighborhood’s character with multicolored brick and white fiber-cement panels. The overall aesthetic is eye-catching, with curved facades and colorful brick patterning giving it an almost sculpture-like quality.

The development serves households earning 30 percent to 60 percent of Area Median Income, including 30 units dedicated to families emerging from homelessness. Unlike typical affordable housing, it offers larger family-focused units and amenities including a playroom, playground, basketball court and computer lounge.

Construction posed significant engineering challenges, requiring more than 130 deep foundation piles driven 100 feet into Portland’s unstable soil. Colas Construction, a Black-owned firm, erected its first tower crane for this project, noting it is the first ever by a Black or brown contractor west of the Mississippi.

The apartments feature air conditioning and free Wi-Fi in common areas, with a large laundry room containing over 24 washers and dryers. With a Walk Score of 89, residents enjoy excellent access to public transit.

Sustainability was prioritized throughout development. The building achieved Earth Advantage Platinum certification and includes rooftop solar panels and all-electric systems supported by the Portland Clean Energy Fund.

In partnership with the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization, the complex provides culturally specific services supporting immigrant, refugee and BIPOC families.

To honor the building’s namesake, Home Forward gave child residents two books: “The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee” by Julie Leung, connecting residents to Lee’s legacy as a Cleveland High School graduate who made history during World War II, and “A Kids Book About Construction” by Andrew Colas, reinforcing a legacy of inspiration and opportunity.

The project team achieved 45 percent workforce diversity on the project; the goal was 20 percent. Apprentices had a key role on the development, responsible for 18.5 percent of project work hours.

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