
72Foster
In Portland’s bustling Mount-Scott Arleta neighborhood, 72Foster provides 101 units of affordable housing, with lively ground-floor retail that has become a community staple.
Project Details
Location
Portland, OR
Client
REACH Community Development
Year Completed
2019
Project Size
79,600 sq. ft.
101 units
Certification
LEED Gold for Homes, Multifamily Midrise
Sustainability
On the roof, an expansive 106.5 kW solar array offsets utility costs for common space areas of the building. The building skin features two inches of continuous insulation, and the solar array’s energy production is tracked through a building management system with data publicly displayed on a screen in the lobby.
Land Recognition
We have a responsibility to not only acknowledge but also elevate Native communities and their needs. This project sits in the area currently known as Portland, which encompasses the traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River.
Educating ourselves is an important action. We encourage you to explore the stories of these communities through Native-led resources like David G. Lewis, PhD’s The Quartux Journal and Leading with Tradition.
Awards
- 2020 AIA Oregon Merit Award
- 2019 Multi-Housing News Award of Excellence, Design + Development, Bronze Award
- 2019 AIA Northwest & Pacific Region (NWPR) Design Merit Award

Affordable Intergenerational Housing
One of the area’s first multi-family buildings, Holst thoughtfully balanced affordability, durability, and sustainability at 72Foster. Designed with intergenerational families in mind, the project is located close to transit, and includes a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Every unit features comfortable room proportions, large windows, ceiling fans in every room, and generously sized kitchens with mechanically ventilated range hoods.

Fostering a Vibrant Community
The ground floor retail has been a success story, with various restaurants and local shops becoming staples in the community.

Fitting into the Neighborhood
The building’s angled shape respects the existing neighborhood scale, creates a new public courtyard, and acts as a buffer from Foster Road.

A Dynamic Façade
The building’s exterior alternates brick and Fiber Cement Siding for texture and variation without sacrificing durability and affordability. Standard thick, seamless Fiber Cement Siding modules are arranged and applied with rigorous attention to detail. The strategic use of cedar surrounding the entrance and breezeway brings visual warmth to the human scale. Orange-painted metal details tie the wood’s warm tones to the other materials and bring vibrancy without competing with the colorful Mercado next door.

Neighborhood Connection
An open breezeway connects the residential neighborhood to the popular Portland Mercado across the street.

Cultural Vibrancy
Local artist Haruka Ostley’s painted murals lead visitors through the lobby and the ground floor community room.


Designed to Foster Connections
The large community gathering space features a communal kitchen and folding Nana walls that open to the courtyard to accommodate a wide range of programs and events. The building’s amenities include a fourth-floor lounge with an open terrace that balances the opening at the ground floor and offers views of Mount Hood.
We're already a diverse community. So, gaining more housing to support our neighbors who are getting displaced by increasing housing costs in the area is very positive.— Sean McClintock, Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association Volunteer