Historic Landmarks Commission Recognizes Street Roots as a Project of the Year
Each year, Portland’s Historic Landmarks Commission selects two projects to highlight in its annual report and presentation to the City Council. This year, the Commission identified Street Roots‘ investment in its new property in Old Town as one of its Projects of the Year!
A New Home for Street Roots
The three-story Wax Building, originally built in 1926, is located on the corner of West Burnside and 3rd Avenue. The Landmarks Commission noted that having the organization’s home in the historic building will bring greater visibility to Street Roots, benefiting both the organization and the district. Holst is doing a robust renovation of the building to help Street Roots expand and grow, increase its impact, and support more vendors.
I am so grateful to the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission for honoring the Street Roots Burnside building as one of the Projects of the Year— Kaia Sand, Executive Director, Street Roots
Holst's Involvement
Executive Director of Street Roots, Kaia Sand, appeared before Portland’s City Council on March 15th, 2023, to give testimony as a part of the Commission’s annual report. “In 2018, Dave Otte, Principal at Holst Architecture, pledged to me that when the time came, Holst would design a new space for Street Roots pro-bono,” said Sand. “That was an incredible pledge and a significant seed of confidence, so when our services expanded beyond what we could really handle in our very tiny space, I called him, and this was during the pandemic, and he was ready.”
Groundbreaking Celebration
The project groundbreaking ceremony on March 16th, 2023, was a celebration of the organization and of this exciting design project. Street Roots vendors choreographed swing dancing and a procession with a rolling piano through the streets of Old Town, ending at the new tea shop Barnes and Morgan.
This groundbreaking is about cultivating joy as we move forward with hope.— Cody Pika Tavita McGraw, Director, Street Roots Capital Campaign
A Community Effort
This project is made possible by the support of many partners. From community donations to pro-bono services provided by local companies, this project is becoming a reality due to the community’s commitment to supporting Street Roots.
