Commercial to Community (C2C) is a group of professionals spanning energy, design, development, finance and municipal backgrounds who are thinking deeply about how existing downtown Portland assets can support a more complete community, including housing, amenities, education, advanced technology and other uses. C2C works alongside broader efforts to reimagine downtown Portland, including initiatives focused on adaptive reuse, public space activation and community development.   

How could we transform our community by reimagining Portland’s downtown buildings?
To help explore that question, C2C brought together three interdisciplinary teams in early 2026 and challenged them to reimagine three historic downtown office buildings: the JK Gill Building, Oregon Trail Building and 209 Building. Over four weeks, the teams developed design concepts, construction estimates and financial pro formas while identifying technical, regulatory and financial barriers to adaptive reuse.  

The resulting concepts ranged from student housing paired with a hotel, to senior co-housing and creative arts spaces, to a hotel and spa within Portland’s former police headquarters. More importantly, the exercise created space for architects, engineers, developers, building owners, energy professionals and public-sector partners to test ideas, learn from one another and identify opportunities for future collaboration.  

The Commercial to Community Development Exercise Report shares the concepts, lessons learned and recommendations that emerged from the exercise. While centered on three buildings, it is ultimately about a broader conversation: how Portland can build on existing momentum, leverage local investment and partnerships, and create a more livable, resilient and distinctly Portland downtown. 

Three key recommendations emerged from the exercise: 

• Community-led value creation is key 
• Strategically add a diverse mix of housing downtown 
• Retain and reinforce our unique sense of place 

These recommendations are rooted in community action and local investment. They require us to stay connected, collaborate across efforts and build on the projects, partnerships and momentum that already exist. Let’s find each other, build on that momentum and continue shaping our community on our own terms. 

We couldn’t have accomplished this work without the collaboration from our many partners, including  Prosper Portland, City of Portland, SERA Architects, PAE Engineers, GBD Architects, Edlen & Co., Countryman Capital Partners, Design Research Office, EvolvED, Menashe Properties, EENW, Hacienda CDC, Urban Development Partners, KPFF, DCI Engineers, Froelich Engineers, Interface Engineering, LUMA Lighting Design, Glumac, Howard S. Wright, Swinerton, Turner Construction, DECA Architecture, Apex Real Estate Partners, Building Insights Group, Green Urban Design and The People’s Tributary 

Read the Commercial to Community Development Exercise Report to explore the concepts, insights and opportunities identified through this collaborative effort.