‘Cultural hub’: Bookstore, cafe, meeting spaces will be part of new Literary Arts headquarters

Published 12:15 am Monday, April 22, 2024

There are a lot of cool things that will be part of the new Literary Arts headquarters in Southeast Portland.

There’ll be two floors of books, a bookstore and a cafe. There’ll be a classroom and event space, writing areas, staff offices and a recording studio for the popular radio show and podcast “The Archive Project.”

But maybe the coolest thing is that the first-floor bookstore will feature its bookshelves on casters not stuck to walls, and when Literary Arts wants to play host to an event for 75 people, employees can push away bookshelves to make for a huge space.

“You can do all kinds of things,” said Andrew Proctor, executive director of Literary Arts.

It’ll truly be a cultural hub for fans of books and the literary community.

The $13.3 million project (for purchase, renovation) is expected to be concluded in the fall, although Proctor hesitates in providing a firm opening date for the headquarters at 716 S.E. Grand Ave.

“We’re announcing it now but we’ve worked on it for awhile, raised money for it, found the building,” Proctor said.

Opened in 1904, the building is the former site of Strowbridge Hardware and Khanate Furniture Co. The building had been covered with a facade in recent years.

Celebrating its 40th year, Literary Arts will leave one storefront headquarters at 925 S.W. Washington St. for another larger one, 14,000 square feet in all.

“It’ll be an exciting public space for reading, writing and art and meeting each other in the city,” Proctor said. “There’ll be four new classrooms, a community meeting space. We’ll have our own radio studio for our radio show on OPB. It solves a lot of great things for the community and Literary Arts.”

The organization will keep the Portland Book Festival in the South Park Blocks and Portland Arts & Lectures at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, among its events. Literary Arts also does outreach at Portland Public Schools. It has also held the Oregon Book Awards at local venues, including this year at The Armory.

Proctor said being on the Central Eastside is still residing in the core of the city.

It was important to be close to public transportation.

“When we thought about it, if we had our own space, where would we want it?” he said. “The transit system in Portland, like a lot of cities, brings people in and then out again. Anybody could get to us for $2.80 in Portland. We’re accessible. We’re on a trolley line on Grand, with Morrison and Burnside funnel buses. The Moda Center and Tilikum transits centers are close. It’s an extremely transit rich area. And you can come on bicycle.

“It’s the best way to serve the community and do it in the most equitable way. We feel like we’re fitting in the (city) core, and add value to the core.”

Literary Arts will also own the lot behind the building, and there’ll be parking for vehicles.

Both the bookstore and cafe will be run by Literary Arts.

Nate Tilden of Olympia Provisions and Mike Thelin, co-founder of the former Feast festival, have been consulting with the Literary Arts folks about the food and beverage element.

“Over time you can imagine a great bar with really great and affordable food, coffee, nonalcoholic beverages, and beer and wine eventually,” Proctor said. “There’ll be soups, sandwiches, pastries.”

The bookstore “will be designed to be a nice, independent bookstore. We’re glad to join the community of booksellers,” Proctor said.

So, Literary Arts will no longer be leasing space but owning it outright.

“It really stabilizes the organization,” Proctor said. “And we’re doing it without any debt — all fundraising.”

Added Proctor:

“This building will be transformational for Literary Arts. Not only will it be one of the largest physical centers in the nation for literature and storytelling, but it will also stand as a love letter to this city that has been our home for four decades. It will be a place for our community to tell and hear stories, to write in community and in mentorship, to meet each other and talk about the ideas that matter most, and we are grateful every day to our supporters who have made this possible.”

Added Amy Donohue, architect and principal at Bora Architecture and a Literary Arts board member:

“We toured over 40 buildings, yet the moment we stepped into this two-story gem, steeped in history with its exposed brick and original floors, it was as if Literary Arts had found its home.

“Throughout the design process, we’ve focused on how this building can best be used by not only staff at Literary Arts, but also those they serve — readers, writers, and youth. The end result is a space that is a welcoming environment for all, irrespective of age, income, race, education, or geographical background — a true cultural hub in our community.”

More: literary-arts.org.