The Vance Properties is a 90-acre brownfield site in Gresham, Oregon, near Downtown Rockwood, controlled by Multnomah County. YBA Architects lead the urban design effort and coordinated with overall project leader Cascadia Partners on the according extensive community and stakeholder engagement processes, along with a team of other interdisciplinary consultants. The result was a conceptual design framework and implementation plan, identifying County facility needs and future community benefits for this high profile, once-in-a-generation redevelopment. The master plan and engagement strategy centered underrepresented community voices in one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the region. The team partnered with a local community organization to ensure a transparent, inclusive process, recruiting community leaders representing Rockwood’s culturally rich community to support with targeted outreach and shape the engagement process. Leaders were also compensated for their contributions.

The plan focuses future development around several key programmatic zones, centered around affordable housing and mixed-use community neighborhood space, mixed-use employment and county facility needs and community recreation. The site includes several unique features:  a former quarry, a former landfill, existing county vehicle fleet servicing facilities and road maintenance resources yard and training grounds, existing large public park space and adjacency to other large operating and retired quarries. The combination of challenging site conditions necessitated a high degree of creativity, social and economic competency and technical analytical ability. The plan is currently proceeding to more tactical stages of delivery and implementation.