PORTLAND, Ore. — The grand opening of a new apartment building in Albina marks a pivotal step in the restoration of Portland’s historically Black neighborhood.
A block party was held Saturday to celebrate the occasion, as these apartments come with a purpose beyond just housing — giving displaced families and their descendants a pathway back to Albina.
Back in the 1960s, the construction of Interstate 5 and the Memorial Coliseum displaced Albina residents, including Albina Vision Trust board member Sharon Gary-Smith, who grew up on Benton Avenue just two blocks from the new ‘Albina One’ building…