Slideshow:The Natural Capital Center in autumn, Andie Petkus | PACCO event on the rooftop terrace, Kim Nguyen | Original warehouse, Oregon Historical Society | Aerial view of the building and adjacent park
Explore the Ecotrust building
The Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center, also called the Ecotrust Building, is a place to experience connections between nature, commerce, and community. After a century as a hub for the goods of the industrial economy, this first-of-its-kind, LEED-certified historic renovation continues to evolve as a home for connection and fresh thinking.
Welcome
Natural Capital Center (The Ecotrust Building)
721 NW 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209
Building open daily 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Come Visit
The Natural Capital Center is open to all. Stop by for lunch or dinner, observe the historic building materials and restoration techniques, and enjoy the vitality of the native plant landscaping.
Field guide
Take a self-guided tour of the Natural Capital Center and learn about its history, its renovation, and the people behind the vision. In the Natural Capital Center atrium, you can pick up a free paper copy that folds out into the poster shown above. Want to learn more about the historic renovation? Check out the 2002 publication Rebuilt Green.
Food & drink
Hot Lips Pizza
Hot Lips Pizza has been serving at the Natural Capital Center since 2001. Open daily for dine-in and takeout.
Host an event
Ecotrust Events
We believe in the power of convening. The Natural Capital Center’s community gathering spaces offer a place to hatch your next big idea, build new partnerships, dance, feast, and celebrate any occasion.
When you host your event with Ecotrust, you support our nonprofit work to create transformative change at the intersection of equity, economy, and the environment.
Community grants
Ecotrust Events is committed to creating vibrant buildings that promote equity and honor diversity. Our Community Grants offer nonprofits with limited means and that center communities of color the opportunity to use an event space, free of cost.
“
Like a healthy ecosystem, our building combines density, diversity, and connectedness to make something greater than the sum of its parts.
—Spencer B. Beebe, Ecotrust founder; shown here with former board member Jane Jacobs.
Building community
In the building
community members
The Natural Capital Center is home to over two dozen diverse organizations and social enterprises that share our commitment to equity, economy, and the environment. For leasing opportunities please contact Apex Real Estate Partners. Need building management support? Contact Interurban Property Management.
Featured community member
Wild Salmon Center
For over 25 years, Wild Salmon Center has worked to conserve the North Pacific’s last, best wild salmon and steelhead rivers with the goal to permanently safeguard these extraordinary watersheds today—before they’re irreparably damaged. They have been an invaluable part of the Natural Capital Center’s community for more than a decade.
We honor
Billy Frank, Jr.
The Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center is named for the Nisqually tribal leader and 2003 Indigenous Leadership Awards Honoree from Olympia, Wash., who was one of the most effective voices for clean water, flourishing salmon populations, and collaboration. His activism led to the transformative 1974 Boldt Decision, which upheld Washington tribes’ right to fish in all usual and accustomed places.
Jean Vollum
A philanthropist and early Ecotrust board member, Jean Vollum made a critical gift that allowed us to purchase the entire block where the Natural Capital Center sits today. Jean and her husband Howard were regular supporters of the arts, scientific research, and environmental conservation efforts throughout the region.
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