TriMet has launched plans to turn 35,000 square feet of underutilized land into the site of hollywoodHUB, a mixed-use building and community space, with 224 permanently affordable apartments.
The former dead-end portion of Northeast 42nd Avenue will become a new public walkway, featuring a redesigned connection to the Hollywood MAX station.
The Hollywood Transit Center opened in 1986 as part of the original 15-mile MAX line between Gresham and Downtown Portland.
“This project extends beyond mere transit infrastructure. It encompasses TriMet’s commitment to making our region one of the world’s most inclusive, sustainable and livable places,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. “We’re revitalizing this transit center into homes and community space seamlessly linked to TriMet’s bus and MAX service and other shared mobility options.”
Changes over the past 37 years, including the city’s need for more affordable housing, spurred a closer look at the site as a new home for transit-oriented development and modernized transit facilities.
To make way for the hollywoodHUB, TriMet will demolish the existing ramp and stairs. A temporary, accessible structure will be installed to maintain access to and from the MAX station before TriMet creates a new, permanent ramp later in the construction. The construction will remove the “We Choose Love” tribute mural that has graced the walls of the ramp structure since 2018 to honor victims of the devastating attack on a MAX train in May of 2017.
TriMet notes while the memorial was intended to be temporary, it will be reflected in the design of the final development. The vivid colors and calls for peace will be incorporated into the permanent ramp and walkway area as a long-lasting remembrance of that tragic day and the outpouring of love and community.
The entire hollywoodHUB development project is a partnership between TriMet, developer BRIDGE Housing and resident services provider Hacienda CDC.
Funding for the affordable housing element comes from many sources, reflecting the building’s size and its large number of units. Most notably, Portland Housing Bureau and Metro pooled resources to provide $31.95 million of affordable housing bond funding, sourced from the Portland Housing Bureau’s 2016 and Metro’s 2018 bond programs. With the combined resources of both bond programs supporting it, hollywoodHUB has received the largest funding award ever issued for an affordable housing project in Portland, an indication of the scale and impact of this project and the urgent need for affordable housing across the region.
The first phases of constructing the hollywoodHUB development will begin in summer 2024.
“BRIDGE Housing congratulates our partners at TriMet on reaching this important milestone for the hollywoodHub, laying the foundation for an inclusive, equitable, transit-oriented community in alignment with our commitment to fostering vibrant and accessible neighborhoods,” said President and CEO of BRIDGE Housing Ken Lombard. “Today’s celebration reflects the power of our collective will to meaningfully address the housing crisis. While much work lies ahead, we’re proud to partner with this stellar team to help meet the needs of working families in the city of Portland.”
“We are thrilled to be working closely with TriMet on this development,” said Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio. “In just a few short years, hundreds of low-income Portlanders will call the hollywoodHUB home and will be able to take advantage of fantastic transit access to get to work, school and play. Thank you to the voters of Portland for supporting the Housing Bond measures that made this project possible.”
The hollywoodHUB will bring 224 new units of affordable housing within steps of TriMet’s buses and trains. Overall, 151 of the homes will be at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) while 71 units will be at or below 30 percent AMI, including 55 homes with rental assistance vouchers, ensuring residents only pay 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities. Hacienda CDC will serve as the resident services provider, ensuring inclusive supportive services to building residents.
According to data from the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, the region is about 90,000 housing units short of meeting the needs of people living at or below poverty. In 2018, voters approved Metro’s $652.7 million bond program, which earmarks money for permanent affordable housing projects across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.
Housing solutions through transit-oriented development
Once completed in 2026, the project will serve as another example of transit-oriented development in action. Such projects maximize density while creating walkable neighborhoods near transit, relieving congestion, increasing the supply of affordable housing and community resources.
