Historically, the Williams & Russell property was once part of a thriving community that housed the majority of African Americans in Portland and Oregon. Institutional racism made it illegal and difficult to own land as a minority, and with few options beyond the least desirable areas of Portland, African Americans primarily settled in the northeast quadrant of the city. The site was previously referred to as the Hill Block, which is the historic name of the building that once occupied the site and served as the center of the African American commercial district from the 1940s to the early 1960s. The Hill Block building’s onion domed cupola is now located in Eliot Neighborhood’s Dawson Park. In 1970, the Williams & Russell site was part of the 55-acre Emanuel Hospital urban renewal project. As a result of the land seizure, 158 homes and 30 businesses were demolished. Adre, founded by Anyeley Hallova leads the selected development and design team with Bryson Davis, the President of the Williams & Russell CDC, to rebuild the Hill Block and realize the dreams of Portland's African American community and lay down the foundation where the community can rebuild and set down roots once again.