Relocation Team Report 2/24/2020: Search Guidelines 

February 26, 2020 by Shambhala_Portland_1

Your Portland Shambhala Meditation Center’s Relocation Team continues to search for potential properties to lease. It appears certain that the Center will need to move to a less expensive, likely smaller location within the next year. Several Sangha members have shared prospective properties with us, and the team invites everyone to “keep eyes open” for possible sites for lease. We’ve devised a list of “must haves” and “flexibles” to focus us and the community. Please send any suggestions via email to: [email protected] or text (perhaps including a picture of the realtor’s sign with address) to 713-503-6667.

  • Rent: $3,500/month maximum
  • Space:
    • One room large enough to be a dedicated shrine room (The two rooms we would have used at the Sandy Blvd. property were ~12 x 35’, and the space was thought to be too small).
    • Additional smaller shrine room
    • Community space
    • Kitchen
    • Office
    • Library (may be integrated into community space)
    • Storage area
    • Foyer (coats and shoes)
    • Two bathrooms with at least two toilets (minimum)
    • Mold free
    • Wheelchair access
    • Parking within 3 blocks
    • Near public transportation routes
    • Street presence
    • Uplifted architecture
  • Location:
    • SE Portland (bounded by Woodstock to the south, 82nd to the east, Fremont to the north and the River to the west)
    • We would consider looking further out Sandy, out Foster and in Brooklyn, which may be less expensive areas right now.
  • Usage:  The space is used intermittently throughout the week. We have sitting practices at scheduled times as well as occasional weekend programs. The office manager also works at designated times during the week.
  • Non-negotiable parameters: Price, kitchen, two bathrooms, large enough shrine room (dimensions depend on configuration and line-of-site), location, near public transportation, wheelchair access, mold free, environmentally reasonable.


These parameters have changed over time in response to the real estate market, community feedback, and reality. Contrast the above with what we were looking for as of 6/8/2019:
. . . 3-5 rooms, one of which ideally would be a dedicated shrine room. Probably less than 2,000 sq ft total, rent at about $1500-2500 NNN, in Southeast Portland (though the southern part of NE could also work). Typically, the space is used infrequently throughout the week although Sunday mornings we have sitting practice from 9am to about 1pm. The office manager is there working at certain times during the week, but he might be able to transition to working from home – not sure about that. We’d like to have parking available, the space be accessible to everyone, near public transportation routes.

SO, JOIN THE RELOCATION TEAM’S SEARCH! We are anxious to hear from you. 

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