Building Salem is a twice-monthly feature from Salem Reporter to highlight planned building projects around the city. Is there a building going up or demolition underway you’re curious about? Let us know by emailing [email protected].
Name: Evergreen Apartments
Project type: Affordable housing
Location: 905 Cottage St. N.E., Grant Neighborhood
Cost: $7.2 million
Units: 17 apartments
The need: The affordable apartments will serve chronically homeless veterans, and will offer case management in recovery, harm reduction and life skills training. This type of housing is a critical need for those who are most vulnerable in Salem, said Nora Cronin, director of real estate development for developer DevNW, which has offices in Salem, Springfield, Corvallis and Oregon City.
“It’s hard work, and it’s great to be a part of it to help solve the community’s cited problems, and to come up with really good solutions with really good partners to make that happen,” she said.
Description: Developers have transformed the former Evergreen Church and its adjacent parsonage into 17 affordable apartments for veterans. They’ll start moving in over the next few weeks, said Cronin.
The historic building now hosts five studios and 12 one-bedroom apartments. Renters will have access to case management, behavioral health services, and assistance with needs like getting identification and bus passes through the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency.
Nine of the units are dedicated for people experiencing chronic homelessness, and are supported by state permanent supportive housing funds. In those households, renters will spend 30% of their income on rent, and the rest will be covered by state vouchers. The other apartments are open to veterans making up to 60% of the area’s median income, which is $38,400 for a single person, according to Oregon Housing and Community Services data.
Though construction started early last year, the development was in the works for several years with multiple iterations and setbacks as the community weighed potential neighborhood impacts. The Salem City Council approved rezoning the property for housing in 2020.
The project received $1.7 million of city money through a federal grant earmarked for affordable housing projects. The bulk of that money went to construction.
The project also received $4.2 million from Oregon Housing and Community Services for the redevelopment.
The building was originally designed in 1928 by Salem architect Lyle Bartholomew, said project manager Tara Hanby in a statement to Salem Reporter.
“It was amazing to see the church and the parsonage deconstructed. There were full-sized 2×4’s and the church beams are single pieces of Doug fir that are 10” wide x 30” deep x 40’ long,” she said.
Developers sought to preserve the look and feel of the historic building. Cronin said they essentially split the chapel space into two floors, replacing windows as needed but keeping their original curved shapes. Some of the larger windows are split between multiple apartments.
“It makes it look really cool, I think, and fun. It’s no secret that this used to be a church,” she said.
July 2024 building statistics from the city of Salem
Multifamily building permits issued: 17 permits for 186 units
Total multifamily building permits issued from July 2023-June 2024: 33.5 permits for 356 units
New home permits issued: 34 permits, including 2 duplexes
Total new home permits from July 2023-June 2024: 360
New commercial and industrial permits issued: 18
Total new commercial and industrial permits permits issued from July 2023-June 2024: 54.5
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
