The Alberta Abbey, a Northeast Portland ex-church that currently houses the Alberta Abbey Foundation, could be renovated into commercial space under a new proposal submitted to the city’s Bureau of Development Services.

At a pre-application conference set for Aug. 21, parties will discuss the potential designation of the building as a historic landmark as well as the possibility of converting the interior to commercial space. The project applicant is MWA Architects.

The property is zoned R-1 for medium density multi-dwelling use. The proposed project would require a Type III city historic landmark designation, as well as a Type III historic incentive review.

The building, at 126 N.E. Alberta St., was constructed in 1925 and has 14,465 square feet of floor space. It was known for much of its life as the Mallory Avenue Baptist Church, but was redeveloped into an arts space in 2012 after falling into disrepair.

The building was then purchased by the Alberta Abbey Foundation, a nonprofit arts organization that has taken advantage of the spacious, 400-seat auditorium, 2,000-square-foot ballroom and work spaces to hold performing arts events, exhibitions, classes and more.

In December 2017, the property was purchased for $1.66 million by Community Development Partners, an affordable housing developer.

Then, in January, Alberta Abbey became a subsidiary of Engaged Aging, a nonprofit that provides wellness and arts programming for affordable housing developments. Last month, Portland-based arts collective Grains of Salt signed on to serve as interim director of the Alberta Abbey Foundation; it will recruit long-term leadership to ensure success of the capital projects planned for the site.

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