Concordia University in Portland finds room for more student housing

Daily Journal of Commerce (Portland, OR), Sep 18, 2008 by Sam Bennett

As Concordia University grows, it seeks a balance between creating urban density and keeping peace with the Concordia neighborhood.

Designed by Group Mackenzie, a new, four-building student housing development is planned to address recent student growth at the university. The housing will be built on Northeast 27th Avenue between Northeast Liberty and Highland streets.

The 103-year-old liberal arts university, located at 2811 N.E. Holman St., this year enrolled a record 1,800 students and needs additional room to house students, according to Denny Stoecklin, Concordia's chief financial officer.

Stoecklin said the university has kept good relations with the neighborhood as it has expanded. Members of the neighborhood association, however, recently filed an appeal with the city to request that the student housing development be downsized in order to more closely match the height of homes across the alley from the development. In a unanimous vote, the Design Commission denied the appeal earlier this month.

Stoecklin described the appeal as a "very isolated instance."

"This doesn't necessarily create a divide of any kind," he said.

The buildings have been designed to blend in with the neighborhood, which has homes from the 1920s to 1940s.

"We wanted to maintain the residential character, with wood construction," said Theresa Paulson, an associate planner with Group Mackenzie. "The earth tone colors blend in with the existing housing stock."

Stoecklin said the university has attempted to ease the transition between the student housing and the neighborhood by having all entrances and exits on the 27th Avenue side, rather than having some access via the alley side. In addition, he said the bedroom units in the new buildings will face the alley, and homes that front 26th Avenue and other common spaces - such as the living rooms and kitchens - will face the 27th Avenue side. "There is less activity in the bedrooms than the living rooms," he said. "This significantly minimize the neighbors' impression of losing privacy."

The buildings will have 43 rooms and 110 beds. They take the place of seven homes on the block, which the university owns and has used for married student housing. One of the homes will be deconstructed board by board and the other six will be relocated, Stoecklin said. The new student housing is scheduled to be complete in time for fall term in 2009.

Planning of the student housing coincides with the current construction of the 70,000-square-foot George R. White Library and Learning Center. In addition, the university is planning a new athletic field, which will begin construction in the spring. Group Mackenzie designed both projects.