The Portland Alumnae chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is planning to rehabilitate and expand its June Key Delta House into the Delta Sigma Theta June Key Community Center.
The goal is to take what was once an abandoned gas station and turn it into a sustainable, environmentally friendly community center.
The Portland Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (DST) is an organization of 250,000 college-educated women committed to public service. Members come from a variety of professions including teachers, principals, educational administrators, lawyers, accountants, nutritionists, nurses, social workers, businesswomen, engineers and other professional occupations. The organizations thrust is indeed public service—building community projects for the public good. Learn more about Delta Sigma Theta.
The project is a two-phased expansion of the existing building—formerly a gas station—to use as a community center. The center would provide activities including tutoring sessions for school-age children and youth, activities for seniors, and other neighborhood-oriented activities. The DST would also have meetings at the site one or two times a week, with a larger monthly meeting on Saturdays, along with one or two annual events.
Phase 1 of the project increases the building from its current 1,507 square-feet to 2,757 square-feet to accommodate a meeting space, two restrooms, accessory office space, and a kitchen. Surface parking for five vehicles will be created on the N Ainsworth Street side of the site. Another two-space parking and outdoor area is proposed on the southwest side of the site, accessed from N Albina Avenue. The existing open space on the east side of the site will remain as an open area.
In Phase 2, a 2,200 square-foot addition will be created, resulting in a 4,957 square-feet building, including a 2,600 square-foot covered area over the addition and overhangs covering the exterior outdoor space, all of which will be a green roof. The building additions will be constructed almost entirely from reused materials including cargo containers and salvaged glass. The goal is for the completed project to contain 50-70 percent recycled materials.
