The Billy Webb Elks Lodge in North Portland’s Albina neighborhood is now in Phase Two of its reconstruction, and organizers say the century-old building is on track to reopen in time for its 100th anniversary. The lodge, badly damaged in a 2021 fire, has been the focus of nonstop preservation work and fundraising since the blaze, and if the current schedule holds, its ballroom and community spaces could be hosting events and services again later this year.
Organizers told KOIN that Phase Two of reconstruction is underway and that crews expect to finish the interior in about six months, which would keep an opening during the lodge’s centennial year within reach. They describe this stage as the final push to make the space fully usable again for programming and rentals.
What Is Being Rebuilt
Phase One focused on shoring up the bones of the building. Crews replaced roof trusses, installed a new roof, rebuilt exterior walls and repaired upper-story windows through a hands-on workshop, according to Restore Oregon. That exterior work shielded the lodge from further weather damage and opened the door for interior restoration. Preservation partners have stressed that finishing the interior, starting with the ballroom, is crucial to bringing the lodge back into regular public use.
Funding And Partners
The rebuild leans on a mix of insurance proceeds, foundation grants and community donations, and organizers have launched a capital campaign to close out Phase Two, the Portland Observer reports. That coverage notes that Phase One construction wrapped up in July 2025 and that the lodge is still seeking roughly $1 million in additional funding to finish the interior and reopen during its centennial year. Local preservation organizations and neighborhood groups have stepped in with technical support and fundraising help throughout the stabilization work.
Money And Meetings
Organizers told KOIN that about $1.6 million has been raised toward a $1.9 million goal to complete the restoration. The lodge is also holding community meetings on May 26, June 9 and June 23 to brief neighbors on the construction schedule, volunteer needs and future programming plans as interior work moves forward.
Why The Lodge Matters
The building, opened in 1926 as the Williams Avenue Colored YWCA and later home to the Billy Webb Elks, is recognized for its central role in Portland’s Black history, according to the Oregon Encyclopedia. “This building is part of Portland’s soul,” Exalted Ruler Lou McLemore told the Portland Observer, pointing to the lodge’s long-running support for veterans, youth and neighborhood groups. A centennial-year reopening would return a rare community-run Black cultural space to Albina at a time when the neighborhood keeps changing around it.
How To Help
Lodge leaders are asking for donations and volunteers as Phase Two continues, with updates and a community fundraising page available on GoFundMe. Organizers say the upcoming neighborhood meetings will offer more detail on construction timelines, volunteer roles and programming plans once interior repairs are locked in. Preservation groups add that the next few months will be decisive for whether the space is ready to reopen for its 100th-year season.
