Holst’s Commitment to Street Roots

The renowned firm committed $330,000 of services to realize a new building for Street Roots

Article by Kaia Sand, published in Street Roots | 20 Mar 2024

Nearly five years ago, Holst Architecture principal and owner Dave Otte made a promise to Street Roots. Once we found a building to support our ever-expanding needs, Holst would provide architectural services pro bono.

That time came in early 2021, with the project coming to completion this year. The need for a new Street Roots building was amplified by the expanded needs brought on by the pandemic. Street Roots had first occupied a cramped space on SW 12th and Morrison in the 1990s as the Burnside Cadillac, then was renamed and restructured as Street Roots in 1999. We’ve been at NW 2nd and Davis ever since, in a still-cramped space.

Then we found our building on NW 3rd and Burnside. Longtime Street Roots vendor Jason Scheer suggested we check it out — particularly because it was on Burnside, reconnecting us to our original name. As a newspaper, we wanted a highly visible building to mark our role in civic life, as well as the center of existence for people too often pushed to the margins. The building was the right size and right location, and we launched the gambit to buy and renovate it.

I called Dave Otte and he was ready. He brought together a team led by Nici Stauffer, Holst Senior Associate, and Hannah Rusnac, Holst Designer.

Now, three years and $330,000 of donated services later, the dedication of Holst will be fully realized at 281 W. Burnside.

Click here to read the full article by Kaia Sand.