The Victorian Inn, a 5-story Beaux Arts building designed by Alexander Charles Ewart, was built in 1908 and operated as Hill Hotel for many years in NW Portland. Purchased in 2017 by Northwest Housing Alternatives, Carleton Hart was enlisted to perform the renovation of this 62-unit historic building to serve as affordable housing for seniors (51+) and special needs residents.

The design team set about an occupied rehab to improve the ventilation system, exterior lighting, life safety, and elevator. Accessibility improvements achieved ADA compliance. The building’s envelope was also improved with restoration to the original masonry, cornice, and windows.

The concept behind this and any occupied rehab project is to keep residents in their homes and mitigate the impact on them. Working as a collaborative team with the contractor, CHA considered how to schedule the phasing of the project focusing on the safety of residents and how design could be implemented quickly and efficiently.

The project’s studio and one-bedroom units received upgrades as well. Accessible units were gutted and received complete renovation while typical units received upgrades to kitchens and bathrooms.