September 16, 2011

Story by David Nguyen

On Thursday, September 15, Commissioner Fish was honored to speak at the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Blanchet House.

Blanchet House was established in 1952, and is located at 3rd and Glisan in the Old Town/Chinatown area of downtown Portland. Although named after the first Archbishop of Oregon, it's not an agency of the Catholic Church. Operations at Blanchet have stayed at the same location for the last 58 years. The organization offers free meals, job aid, and transitional housing to folks in need. The current building is 100 years old and has deteriorated significantly over time.

In 2009, Blanchet House reached an agreement with the City of Portland to construct a new building on city-owned land at the corner of NW Third and Glisan in exchange for an option on Blanchet's current property. The new 36,500-sf, four-story building will triple Blanchet's space, increasing the residential capacity from 28 to 60.

The Portland Housing Bureau is proud to be a funding partner in this project, having committed $4 million in grants and additional support. The Blanchet House will stay open while the new office is under construction.

"Construction on new, $12 million Blanchet House of Hospitality officially begins" - Molly Hottle in the Oregonian

Photo: We borrowed this rendering of the new Blanchet House from Neighborhood Notes. Thank you!