Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Legin Commons continues legacy of restaurant that served as Southeast Portland’s cultural hub

Story by James Hill, photos by Ric Getter.

The name “Legin” and the story it tells goes beyond the process of naming Portland’s newest and most energy efficient affordable housing complex after a restaurant. It tells a story of selflessness, access, educational opportunity and community.

Legin was much more than a restaurant. For 17 years, its large banquet hall hosted weddings, Lunar New Year celebrations sponsored by Portland Community College, concerts, community meetings and other important gatherings for Portland’s Asian and Asian American communities. In 2009 the owners approached PCC about acquiring the property following passage of the college’s voter-approved bond measure in 2008, which would expand the Southeast Center into a comprehensive campus.

Eventually, Legin was purchased by PCC in 2010 to pave the way for campus expansion to enable Southeast Portland students to complete an associate or transfer degree at the Southeast Campus rather than traveling across town to fulfill their degree requirements.

On Sept. 10, PCC and regional partners celebrated the grand opening of Legin Commons — a 124-unit affordable housing project at the edge of the Southeast Campus. The grand-opening celebration brought together residents, elected officials, project partners, community organizations and neighbors. 

Legin Commons was developed by Our Just Future with Edlen & Co. and APANO, which provides culturally responsive services and resident programming onsite. The development’s name honors Legin Restaurant for its history as a gathering place for Portland’s Asian American and immigrant communities.

“As Oregon’s largest postsecondary institution, PCC plays a vital role in responding to regional and community needs, thriving economic mobility, and breaking down barriers for opportunity,” said PCC Interim President Dr. Katy Ho. “We are so thankful that folks came together to solve this complex problem. I think it is truly not just a physical representation, but a really a very deeply cultural and spiritual representation of what can happen when we have cross sector partnerships, with agencies, housing leaders, and a mind for the shared mission. It’s a powerful example.”

As Dr. Ho reflected on her own Legin Restaurant experience she recalled how a similar restaurant helped her own family and how Legin Commons perfectly represents the spirit of that memory.

“My dad, when he first immigrated to the US, got a job through a family friend at a local Chinese restaurant in Michigan,” she said. “And it was through that community that a lot of the networking took place for families to learn about available resources, including education. And that’s how my dad ended up working and getting a PhD. I think of the spirit of that restaurant and the magic.

“That’s part of the legacy, right?” she continued. “It is not just a physical place and the opportunity that this provides, but is that spirit of that legacy of coming together as a community, along different service districts and partners and agencies. They’re really giving that opportunity for families, for people to network, to support one another, to get information out, and to really make sure that there is that vibrant, holistic approach to lifting up our communities.”

The $58.6 million, four-story development includes apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom homes for residents earning no more than 60% of area median income. Twenty homes serve households earning 30% or less of area median income, and 63 two- and three-bedroom apartments were designed for families and multigenerational households.

The opening of Legin Commons comes at a time when 60% of PCC students experience basic needs insecurity, and 47% struggle with housing insecurity, a rate significantly higher than the national average for community college students. Even more alarming, 17% of PCC’s students experienced homelessness over the past year.

“Behind each and every one of those numbers are real people trying to build better lives for themselves and their families,” Dr. Ho said. “Affordable housing provides our students with a stable foundation, so that they can focus on their coursework, finish their credentials, and step into thriving careers.”

The project transformed 1.61 acres of underused PCC property into a community where residents can live close to education, transit, schools, groceries, parks and culturally specific businesses. PCC identified the site for affordable housing through its 20-year facilities planning process and made it available through a long-term ground lease. Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang emphasized that neighborhood investment must support the people who already call the area home.

“Legin Commons is central to the community’s vision of making 82nd Avenue, and the Jade District, the most affordable, transit-rich and climate resilient neighborhood in Portland,” Hwang said. “It’s a remarkable site — it tells the story of the district and what used to be there, so it has that sense of place and history. But it’s also on Portland Community College’s Southeast campus, which brings educational, cultural and social opportunities. I’m proud that Metro’s Affordable Housing Bond was able to help turn an underutilized lot into an asset that will serve students, families, older people — the entire community.”

The development adds to PCC’s growing affordable-housing push. The college also partnered on Affordable Rents for College Students, which opened the 72-unit Connery Place near Southeast Campus, and is supporting an 84-home affordable-housing development at its Opportunity Center at 42nd Avenue.

For more about Legin Commons and its apartment availability, visit its website for details.