Portland’s Literary Arts Schedules Ribbon-Cutting for New HQ

Portland, Ore.–based nonprofit Literary Arts will open its new headquarters to the public on December 7. Named the Susan Hammer Center, in honor of a former Literary Arts board member who bequeathed legacy funding to the center through her Oregon Community Foundation, the 14,000-sq.-ft. space includes an independent bookstore, event spaces and classrooms, a podcast studio, and staff offices. Proceeds from the general interest bookstore will benefit Literary Arts, and a planned bookstore café will open at a later date. 

“Creating an inclusive and welcoming center for our community, where people can gather to tell and hear stories and exchange ideas freely, has long been our dream,” Literary Arts executive director Andrew Proctor announced on the organization website.

In 2022, Literary Arts purchased the four-story 1904 building at 716 SE Grand Avenue in the Central Eastside district, and the organization has been restoring it under the direction of Bora Architects, O’Neill Construction Group, and Edlen & Co. Both Bora and Edlen donated their services. Literary Arts programming includes the Portland Arts and Lectures series, the Oregon Book Awards and Fellowships, the Portland Book Festival, and a Writers in the Schools program for Portland high schools. 

The opening comes during a year of significant change for Literary Arts. In June, the nonprofit announced that the family of Ursula K. Le Guin had donated the late author’s former home to Literary Arts, which will be the home of the Ursula K. Le Guin Writers Residency.