A property in Salem that formerly held city hall from 1895 to 1972 is gaining a 78,855-square-foot multifamily development.

Construction crews broke ground on the six-story building, Citizen Apartments, on Thursday at 277 High St. N.E. Deacon Development is developing the $25 million project and Dalke Construction of Salem is the general contractor.

“We chose the name Citizen Apartments to honor that history (of the former city hall) and the people who shape the city today,” Kathy Delarosa, development manager at Deacon Development, stated in an email.

Studio 3 Architecture of Salem designed the project. The team also includes civil engineer Westech Engineering of Salem, structural engineer Harper Houf Peterson Righellis, landscape architect Laurus Designs LLC of Silverton, and geotechnical engineer GeoPacific Engineering of Tigard.

Last year, Dalke Construction completed the Rivenwood Apartments in Salem for Deacon Development. Partnering with a local contractor means most of the subcontractors are local as well, Delarosa stated. All subcontractors have been selected.

“This helps strengthen the community, stimulates local economic growth and aligns with our company values,” Delarosa stated.

Citizen Apartments will have 105 units, including studios, one-bedroom units and two-bedroom units. Sixteen will be affordable units as part of the city’s Multi-Unit Housing Tax Incentive Program. Tall window bays will let ample natural light into the units.

The building is designed to feel at home in downtown Salem while still looking fresh and modern, Delarosa stated. The first floor of the exterior will be brick veneer to complement surrounding older structures, while the upper floors will have a mix of metal panels and fiber cement siding to create a contemporary look. Offsets in the siding and balconies are intended to add texture and break down the overall scale.

At street level, glazing and canopies were designed to activate the street corner and create pedestrian-oriented frontage, according to Delarosa.

Building amenities will include a coffee bar, a mail room with parcel lockers, a fitness center, secure bike storage, a pet wash station, Electric vehicle parking and charging (on level 2), a co-working lounge with a private work pod, a community room equipped with a kitchen and games and a semi-private theater room, and a roof terrace with a barbecue area and city views.

The project team received land use approval in May 2024. Construction is expected to wrap up in spring 2027.

The post Team breaks ground on Citizen Apartments in downtown Salem appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Astoria’s Pier 39 has hit the market, offering more than 110,000 square feet of mixed-use space on the Columbia River.

The property houses 26 tenants, including Rogue Pier 39 Public House, a coffee shop, a financial planner and the Hanthorn Cannery Museum, in a cluster of low-slung buildings with reddish-orange roofs east of downtown Astoria. The commercial space is 42 percent occupied, according to CBRE, the listing agent.

The listing also encompasses an adjacent 2.06-acre parcel. The land is zoned for multifamily, hotel, retail or mixed-use development, and is the last undeveloped site of its kind in Astoria, according to CBRE.

The parcels are located within an opportunity zone and an enterprise zone, offering tax benefits to developers and investors. The site attracts 50,000 visitors a month on average, according to CBRE.

Longtime owner Floyd Holcom is selling the property. An Astoria resident and U.S. Army special forces veteran, Holcom reached out to Wes Bochner, a Portland-based CBRE broker and U.S. Navy veteran, to sell the property. Erin Smith and Trent Steeves are also managing the listing for CBRE.

Holcom purchased the property in 2002 and owns it through a limited liability company, NBSD.

The pier traces Astoria’s economic transformation from reliance on natural resources to a focus on tourism. The pier was home to Hanthorn Cannery, the first and largest tuna cannery in Astoria, which later became a Bumble Bee Tuna cannery.

CBRE has not published a listing price for the property.

“Comparable properties in San Francisco and Southern California have traded at 10x valuations of where we expect Pier 39 to sell, reflecting the massive investment upside with lease-up and redevelopment of remaining original cannery spaces,” Bochner stated in a news release.

The post Astoria pier, undeveloped parcel now up for sale appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Sturgeon Development Partners is reshaping Oregon’s real estate landscape with a focus on innovative, sustainable spaces that foster vibrant communities. With a diverse portfolio spanning mixed-use, residential, and commercial developments, the company has built a reputation for transforming underutilized properties into community-centered spaces.

A prime example of this is the redevelopment of the Premier Gear and Machine Works Building in Portland’s Slabtown district. Acquired in 2017, the 68,646-square-foot industrial site was converted into Class A office space, enhancing the area’s commercial appeal. Sturgeon also demonstrates its commitment to sustainability through the Flatworks Building, one of the tallest cross-laminated timber structures in the western United States.

This eight-story, 130,000-square-foot office building on Southeast Grand Avenue incorporates energy-efficient features and green building practices, reflecting the company’s focus on long-term value.

Sturgeon’s approach goes beyond development, emphasizing community engagement. The company proposed transforming the Premier Gear Building into a mental health crisis center with housing, underscoring its dedication to addressing local challenges. Sturgeon’s inclusive approach ensures that each project reflects the needs of residents, making it a leading force in creating positive change.

Through thoughtful development and sustainable practices, Sturgeon Development Partners is making a lasting impact on neighborhoods and communities across Oregon.

The post Sturgeon Development Partners appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.