Originally built to be a hotel, The Fairfield is a four-story unreinforced brick masonry building constructed in 1911 and consisting of 82 single resident occupancy (SRO) units for individuals with very low incomes. Whidden and Lewis designed Fairfield along with several other iconic buildings in Portland, including the Portland Hotel, Multnomah County Courthouse, and Portland City Hall. The building is an excellent example of design and craftsmanship during the early 20th century and remains an integral part of Portland’s urban fabric. PMA in collaboration with Walsh Construction were hired by Home forward to complete important seismic and structural upgrades, including updating the roof, windows, plumbing, and electrical systems. Major changes on the upper floors include relocating the shared kitchen, providing 15 mobility-accessible SRO units, and providing 12 studio units, 3 of which are mobility-accessible. In order to create the studio units, existing SRO units where combined. The renovation will refurbish the existing units by providing new flooring, storage, paint, and lighting. Once complete, the building will meet current standards for accessibility and provide accessible living spaces where none currently exist. The ground floor will be reconfigured to ensure an accessible path of travel across the entire building, a challenge due to the building’s sloped site and multiple existing floor levels. The scope includes new entries to provide an accessible route from the street into the building. The shared kitchens on the residential floors will be renovated and relocated to provide accessible workspaces, food storage, and appliances. The shared bathrooms will be reconfigured to meet accessibility requirements. Additionally, a new elevator is proposed and will provide access to all floor levels. Significant updates to the current MEP systems are also proposed, including replacing the building’s radiant steam heat, original plumbing system, and knob-and-tube electric wiring. At the building’s exterior, new single-hung bronze vinyl windows will replace the existing sliding white vinyl windows. The new configuration will better match the original design and improve energy performance. Finally, envelope improvements will be made to the failing central lightwell cladding, and new roof systems will be installed on all roofs.

The goal for this historic design-build project is to provide 75 units (66 SROs and 9 studios) of permanent supportive housing with HUD project-based rental assistance. The building aims to serve people who request culturally specific services for the BIPOC community living with homelessness or at risk of it. The Fairfield’s ground floor will include maintenance, property management, and space for the tenant community. Resident service offices that will house the Urban League, who provide on-site services focused on housing retention, peer support, mental health, and life skills also will exist on the ground floor. The building will include 4675 square feet of residential support/shared spaces and 2565 square feet of commercial space on Level 1.The renovation of Fairfield Apartments is an excellent example of modernizing a historic building while retaining its character and improving livability, accessibility, and safety. In addition, it will provide much-needed affordable housing for Portland’s chronically homeless while preserving a piece of the city’s history for future generations to enjoy.

Thanks to the hard work of the design team, The Fairfield is slated to be completed in Spring of 2024. The Team includes Contractor: Walsh Construction
Owner: Home Forward
Structural Engineer: KPFF
MEP: ColeBreit
Interior Design: Bainbridge
Civil: Emerio
Code Consultant: Code Unlimited