Alberta Abbey

Location

126 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR 97211

About

Mallory Avenue Christian Church was founded in 1922 with the purpose “to serve its community without distinction of person or race.” Construction of the basement was completed in 1925, and the congregation met there until adding two additional floors in 1948. In the 1970s, the church became home to the YWCA and “People are Beautiful” program—which offered youth activities, cooking workshops, art classes, and other services to the neighborhood. In the 1990s, Portland Parks & Recreation operated after-school programs out of the building. By early 2012, the building was in poor shape and no longer in use. A pair of Portland developers with an appreciation for history decided to give it new life, turning it into a performance venue that also provides workspace to artists and arts organizations.