Apartment complex in Astoria geared toward workforce housing

The construction of the complex, which was initially owned and developed by Walt Postlewait, came to a halt last year amid financial issues. The project was taken over by Gabe Johansen, a Salem-based investor, and is now being managed by Port Town Property Management in Astoria.

The four buildings contain 66 units, 60 of which are one-bedroom apartments. Three of the buildings — or 48 apartments — are available for rent this week. Nan Schoenwald, the property manager and owner of Port Town Property Management, said the units have been in high demand and several are already rented out in advance of the opening.

The complex is authorized for a 50-50 mix of long-term rentals and vacation rentals — Postlewait’s initial vision for the project. But Johansen has provided repeated assurances that the entire project will be long-term housing.

Astoria, like much of the North Coast, has struggled to provide housing for people who live and work in the city. A countywide housing study in 2019 pointed to the impact of people who own second homes and vacation rentals on the region’s housing stock.

The Astoria Waterfront Apartments are intended to be geared toward workforce renters. Of the apartments leased so far, Schoenwald estimates that about half of renters are workforce, while the other half are retirees.

The one-bedroom apartments are priced at $1,595 monthly for street-facing units and $1,695 for river-facing units. Schoenwald said Port Town has done rental comparisons to determine market price for similar units.

“We’re just trying to provide nice and good housing for the community,” Schoenwald said. “The buildings, as you know, are brand new. They’ve got lots of amenities. So we’re just hoping to get the community involved in wanting to see this project and encourage folks to take a look and possibly rent from us.”